


Shun

by ZAkara



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mating Bond, Omega Verse, PTSD, Public Relations, Rape is only past and implied, some smut, some spice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2020-05-12 06:01:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19223083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZAkara/pseuds/ZAkara
Summary: Alaric Harlow: the Prince of Robotics and alpha, is in town for a convention for GreyViper Engineering. The laws here are a bit more fluid than the ones back home, so he wasn't very surprised to see an omega 'attendant' kneeling in his hotel room. Who the omega was caused him to cancel the entire convention and turned their entire lives inside out.(Updates PAUSED FOR PERSONAL REASONS)





	1. Attendant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Father had called for the best room and service they offered, which is why workers were scurrying manically about on such short notice. Granted, Alaric did arrive a touch early. While the house desperately put finishing touches on the room the suburban prince would be staying in: a younger omega assistant did her best to tend Alaric's every whim. Sadly for her, most of which he didn't actually have. He personally found this charade pointless, especially since he would only be in the city for another few nights at best. The previous hotel was nice, flawless even, but this one was closer to the venue. Father miss understood, called up the management, and everything since snowballed into this royal fit. Alaric apologized on his father's behalf, but the secretary that took the brunt of the whiplash looked traumatized. Silver lining, he wouldn't need to get up at the crack of dawn to get to the meetings on time.

A fast talking host rattled on about the morning's breakfast selections, quickly followed by how the room service worked. In all honesty, it would have been better off if they just left Alaric alone with his phone. He needed to respond to a couple idiots before they had a stroke. It never failed, as soon as he left the vicinity of his father's, and by extension his, business, shit would promptly hit the fan. Most of the time the panic is over something stupidly negligible. Yet, without a leader, idiots panic.

"For the inconvenience, we've already placed an attendant in the room for you," an alpha dressed in a freshly straightened suit smiled as he approached, the host bowed low as he made his escape. Alaric snorted at the concept of the attendant, reminding himself of  _where_  he was and how different customs were here. Within a few hours plane ride, the laws still in effect felt primitive. Attendants had been all but outlawed in the northern states for five or six years now: mostly because of a handful of ex-attendants finally speaking up about what was actually going on. He couldn't help but glance towards the conservatively dressed woman that was sitting on a lower stool by his side. She was assigned to him as the front of house servant. Alaric's stomach twisted at the thought of what the "back of house" servants put up with.

Alaric put his personal opinion on the back burner for now. He wouldn't mind essentially giving the omega the night off. Maybe they'd have a good night's rest for once.

"It is very well trained, and sworn to the uttermost secrecy. Rest assured, your privacy means the world to us, Sir Harlow" the older alpha kept talking. Despite the dragging, one sided conversation, an amused spark lit in the younger's chest at being called "Sir" by the stranger. Sure, he knew the Harlow name had some strength behind it, but to make a proud owner call a much younger alpha  _Sir_? Alaric found himself grinning from ear to ear. He could most definitely get used to this.

"Shall we have your bags delivered?" hell, didn't this guy ever need to take a breath? Alaric rolled his eyes, giving the mercy of a lopsided smile.

"I just want the room's key." He spoke bluntly. "You guys have been talking my ear off since I stepped foot in here. How 'bout I give you a buzz if there's anything amiss?" The greying alpha straightened with an apology at the tip of his tongue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What took them so long to set up the room evaded him, but the layout was every bit as beautiful as promised. Fresh flowers had been set out, the king sized bed stood draped with plush duvets and a mountain of fluffed pillows, and the layout of the breakfast bar was pristine. Alpha considered starting a fresh cup of coffee, perhaps it would help ease the migraine setting between his brows.

He had almost forgotten about the extra resident, until he rounded the low dividing wall. The finely dressed omega knelt on a deflated cushion, his body curled as if he was attempting to be as small as possible. The thin man had long, well groomed black hair, but his head was tilted too far down to make out much of his face. The cloth they dressed him in was barely enough to be called a silk robe. Even then, one of the lapels had fallen over his pale shoulder and he had yet to make a move to right it.

"Can you speak?" The alpha tipped his head, still standing a few feet away. No answer, not even a shake or nod of his head.

"I give you permission to do so, if that's the issue." Alaric tried again, but still no response. An annoyed tick raised in the back of the alpha's mind. If this omega was "so well trained" as advertised, either they needed to reconsider, or there was something seriously wrong.

"Look at me," his temper started to flare, the omega was still as a statue even though the alpha had approached. The taller was standing so close that he could feel the heat radiating off of the omega through his thin slax. There he waited for a beat, arms crossed and lips pursed.

Childishly, Alaric's patience snapped as he reached down to take a fist full of the omega's hair. A jolt shocked him back. The alpha's knees became useless beneath him. As he struggled out of his stumptor, he had fallen in front of the ever silent man. A bond formed between them. One that Alaric had only heard about from a couple of those around him.

"You're my mate?" he questioned on a breath, pain replacing rage as the stranger, his mate, didn't even fidget his eyes. Surely he must have felt the bond too? Weren't omegas hypersensitive to bonds? Wouldn't he have known that Alaric was meant to be with him while Alaric was still waiting in the front foyer?

Instead of speaking again, the alpha gingerly touched the omega's pale, pointed chin, and lifted his sight from the floor. His eyes were beautiful colors, one sapphire blue and the other onix black, but they would be infinitely more captivating if they had life behind them. Alpha expected the omega's chin to fall back down to his chest when Alaric pulled his hand back. Instead, it stayed, exactly as Alaric had posed him.

Experimentally, the alpha lifted one of the omega's warm hands into his own, carefully splaying out those thin fingers, noting the beautiful manicure he was donned with. His hand stayed exactly as the alpha had posed him.

"Catatonic..." he hissed between fangs. "The fuck did they do to you?" as painful as it was to watch, Alaric didn't expect an answer from the omega, but he itched to tear into the hotel owner. 

"I'm going to move you to the bed." He announced, the bond was still singing freshly in the alpha's chest. It had taken him a while to realize that the panic and fear wasn't just his own anymore. Even though none of them reached his eyes, he omega's emotions were alight on his half of the string. Alaric tried to push warmth through his side, willing himself to calm for the sake of the omega. Whom he was growing desperate to cradle in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What the actual fuck did you do to him?" Alaric snarled a dangerous gravelly sound as he pinned the confused manager under his red gaze from across the foyer.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I'll have another attendant sent up for you straight away." the stout man's words quivered, flinching at the pure rage that dripped from Alaric's roar.

"Another omega!?" He snapped, his burning fury tinting his cheeks rose. "You hand me my  _mate_  in a catatonic state, and just offer me another omega like it's nothing!?"

"I'm sorry to disrespect your mate, Sir Harlow." the owner bowed low. "If he seems to be having another episode, I will have the medication promptly delivered to your room."

"Another... episode... this is a regular occurrence." the younger alpha didn't even pretend to reign in his shift. His pearly fangs hung too far out of his mouth and his brows shadowed dauntingly over his eye sockets, casting darkness over the glimmering liquid hate of his irises. He wanted nothing more than to punch the owner's teeth in, perhaps hunt down and skin the one that had "trained" his mate into this catatonic submissive. Their pelt would make the finest rug for a guest bathroom. The smallest flicker of terror reached through his vengeance fueled haze. His omega was receiving the full blow of his untamed thoughts.

"I'm not mad at you." Alaric whispered aloud, a purring growl flickering almost silently in the core of his chest. The manager kept his head low, his bow almost causing his knees to touch the floor. The yearning to return to the unnamed mate hit full force. Alaric had already turned around, his heels clicking in the tiled hall before he realized he wasn't finished with the workers yet. It was clear to the alpha that they would have to wait.

"I'm expecting the medicine to be a top priority," the younger alpha called over his shoulder, waving a dismissing hand in the air as he removed the owner from his thoughts.

"It's going to be okay." his muttering continued up until he was at the room's door.

His beautiful omega laid exactly as he was left. The alpha hoped that he was at least comfortable, seeing as he was nested in the entirety of the bedding. His bond had calmed down some. Flickering with anxiety when the door was opened, but soothed back to an almost unnerving neutral as soon as Alaric announced himself.

"They're coming up to help." the alpha continued to mutter, finding himself at a loss of what to do. He wanted to hold his unnamed mate in his arms, cradle him into his scent, and hope that it helps convince the kid that he's one of the luckiest omegas in the world.

He's got a Harlow as a mate, he's never going to want for anything ever again. Alaric would personally buy him the moon if that's what he desired. Alpha didn't have settling down immediately in his life plan, he loved traveling, exploring, teasing the ones that normally bully the lower. Yet, if his omega needed a quiet house on the side of a flower hill, Alaric would find a way to fall in love with botany.

The keepers knocked meekly on the door, Alaric was on his feet and across the room as soon as the second knock sounded in the far too quiet space.

"About fucking time." he bit, throwing the door open and leaving for the finely dressed morons to show themselves in.

"We are eternally remorseful for the condition your mate is in, Sir Alaric Harlow." one with a gruff voice bowed, the alpha could read it in his body language that he couldn't give two shits. They were only told to play nice. Thus Alaric ignored the gesture.

"Get to work and get out." the alpha pointedly placed himself at the omega's side. As soon as the stranger made a move to approach his mate, the mate's bond lit up with panic. It tore Alaric's heart in two as his mate was pleading for this to stop.

"I'm right here," Alaric purred, smoothing his mate's hair from his forehead. He didn't calm, instead the begging only intensifying through his bond. The alpha had a hard time not lashing out at the stranger, especially as he expertly placed the needle into the bend of the omega's arm.

"It is a newcomer to us." the stranger explained coolly as he stood to put space between himself and Alaric's mate.

"New to you?" the alpha snorted.

"Hasn't been here for more than a week. Use to work up north, is all I know." the alpha shrugged. "Why he's having these bouts as frequently as he is, is beyond us."

"The north was known to be particularly brutal." Alaric growled, "everyone was supposed to be freed, not transplanted."

"Not my call." the man bowed, "That is all the information we have."

"Not even his name?" the alpha noted, scowl deepening.

"In this field of work, there's no need for a name."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had given him a muscle relaxer that seemed to be in no hurry to take effect. Alaric patiently lounged next to the rigid omega, just absently memorizing the slight, far too thin curves of his mate's body with his fingertips. His mate was safe now, whatever had happened before, it's over. 

Now, to convince the little omega of that.

Little was a relative word, Alaric admittedly had a hard time moving him on his own. The omega was every bit as tall as him, and he would most likely have a similar build if he were to fill out with proper food. Alaric wasn't the largest of alphas, but his mate would still stand taller than most omegas he had known. His omega's lips were painted with a plush berry, the fullness of them accented by the color. His eyes were closed at the moment, but his breath puffed peacefully as the rigidity of his body began to lax.

"Alpha's here." Alaric whispered as he threaded his fingers through his omega's silk hair. He wouldn't fool himself into thinking that his mate was as pampered as he was made to look. In actuality, it was a wonder if his omega had a day that wasn't laced with fear and stress. Dark circles under his eyes were painted over expertly with makeup, only when Alpha was studying the finer details of his omega's skin did he even realize it.

"You're so beautiful." he continued to speak hushed, lazy syllables. The bond was bright between them, arguably from how closely they laid. Alaric experimented with the strands of the bond a few times, just pressing warmth, or curiosity through it, just to see what kind of response he would get. Most of the time the reaction was shy and timid. Unless he was afraid, then the omega wasn't above begging for his life- pleading as if he would be murdered if he didn't. During those moments, Alaric curled himself over his mate's prone body. Gentle words and ghostly kisses peppered his mate's painted cheeks as the alpha didn't know how else to help. He could only pray that his mate would be able to pull out of this paralyzed state soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I regret to inform you that I will not be attending our venues at the scheduled times this week. Please accept my most sincere apologies as I have been blessed to have found my fated bond mate. He requires my utmost attention and presence at this time, but we will be honored to reschedule a future venue to display the new concepts and advancements our creators have procured._

_Sincerely: Alaric Harlow IV_

Just like that, his week's schedule cleared. He would deal with the millions of questions father had later on. For now, the sleeping omega on the suite's bed was his main concern. Over the course of the night, the omega had regained control over his body. Alaric didn't press too far, it was clear that his love was exhausted, and the alpha could hold off his questions long enough for the omega to actually get some rest.

Alaric had sipped his way through his morning coffee and flipped through a couple more chapters of a book by the time his omega began to rouse. Despite the white dressings of the bed enveloping him entirely, he was clearly confused by his whereabouts at first. Fear had his pupils at pinpoints and his movements were jerky from desperately trying to conceal his trembling.

"Good morning." Alaric hummed, frowning at the way his omega's sight locked onto him for the briefest of moments before falling back down to the floor.

"Do you like coffee?" the alpha tried, "We also have tea, or I can call for something else?" He didn't get an answer. Instead the omega slowly moved himself out from under the blankets and slid his bare, pale feet to the floor. Alaric didn't have a chance to react before his mate fell hard to his knees, head low and shoulders hunched.

"Can we start with something easy?" the alpha whined as he abandoned his book on the low coffee table. His steps towards the submitting omega were silent and careful.

"My name's Alaric. What's yours?" Alaric's voice dried out as he spoke. The simple enough question still defensively brought up the omega's shoulders, the tension across the poor man's back would need a massage to fully unwind. Those haunted dichromatic eyes flashed up to meet the alpha's. His alpha... his mate. The unseen, ever present bond between the two strangers sang anew as the omega remembered who he was looking at.. Some power, elsewhere, thought the two would be a perfect couple. The two meant to be for each other. One, a high fluent business heir and scholar, the other, a barely literate thoroughly used whore. Certainly, this was some kind of mistake. Maybe there was something in that medication the handlers were giving him?

"Come on, you can tell me." the alpha coaxed again. He was gentle, for a drug induced mate... is that a thing that could happen? Pushing the thoughts to the side for now, the omega willed his mouth to stop being so hopelessly dry. He could be brave for now. Whatever this alpha does as punishment couldn't be worse than what that woman did to train him.

"Shun." the word was weak on his lips, his tongue too dried out to round out the subtle nuances of the simple little sound of his name. Alaric's expression softened into a breed of adoration. He experimentally hummed Shun's name a few times, just tasting it over his tongue. The alpha's teal hair was comically messed over his forehead, his silver tongue ring flashed a few times as he spoke. Shun dropped his chin to his chest once again once he realized he wasn't listening to alpha. He needed to. He needed to be good. So when this ultimately ends and he needs to go back to Masters... maybe this client will put in a good word for him? Hot fingers were on his chin, snapping attention to how painfully close Alpha had gotten.

"Can we get off the floor?" he sounded pained, but not an ounce of rage had seeped into the words. Shun stood with his alpha, internally crying at how strong and  _real_  the bond seemed. Maybe by some mercy, the effects of the drugs wouldn't last too long.

Alaric studied the hesitancy on his mate's face as he carefully helped the omega up from the carpet. A strange fear was flickering from his omega's side of the bond.

"Speak freely with me, Shun." he frowned, using a warm palm to lift the omega's fallen chin yet again.

"I know we don't know each other, but I want to change that." the alpha purred carefully, fixing a stray strand of silk black hair. He wanted nothing more than to rid that unbearable look of fear in his mate's eyes.

"Forgive me, Sir." Shun muttered, the bleakness of his voice matching the paleness of his skin.

"Forgive you?" Alaric coaxed when he didn't continue speaking.

"I feel... it's like I've bonded to you, Sir." Shun ducked his head lower. "I thank you for your kindness, but I should keep my distance." Alaric's brows knitted over his nose, a genuinely concerned look crossing his brilliant amber eyes.

"Do you not want me as a mate?" Heartbreak was clear in his voice, his touch turning apologetic. 

"You... you feel... it... too?" Shun stuttered with his pupils growing to the size of dinner plates.

"Of course, I feel it, why wouldn't I?" Alaric wondered aloud. He pressed as much warmth and encouragement through his side of the bond as he could. Had Shun not felt what his alpha was trying to offer? Was Alaric doing this wrong?

"It's... you're my-" tears breached the omega's eyes, his fingers grasped into his alpha's clothes as if he would disappear at any moment. Alaric wrapped his arms around Shun's shaking shoulders.

"You didn't think it was real?" the alpha muttered in the man's ear. "It's okay, I've got you, and we're leaving this place. Okay?"

"You're my alpha..." Shun echoed clutching desperately. Alaric's heart clenched in his chest, holding his mate as the man devolved into sobs.

"Shun?" he breathed, unable to see the tears streaming his omega's cheeks, but he could feel the hesitant relief that was currently flooding their bond. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this one is going to be updated every Wednesday!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ You found your mate?  _ Father’s text message didn't surprise Alaric. He just didn’t expect for him to question his son’s sanity so soon. The main concerns Father had were the venues, but Alaric's was tending to his new found mate. 

_ If it’s okay, mind if we borrow one of the jets? I don’t think Shun will be able to face the public yet.  _ Alaric knew that being named a Harlow mate would catapult anyone into the center spotlight, Shun probably couldn’t handle the prying eyes of a pestering grandmother, much less the news media. 

_ Ashamed of her already? _ Father commented.

_ Him. And no. He’s absolutely gorgeous, just scared.  _ Alaric remarked with a snarl that his father would never see in person. His phone sat dormant for a moment. He could only imagine the kinds of things that the man on the other end was raging about. His mother could handle him. She always had before.

Shun had since marginally calmed down, at least to the point where he was no longer impulsively kneeling on the floor nor clinging to Alaric’s side. However, he still looked as if he had a thousand questions and concerns floating back and forth behind his fidgeting eyes. 

“Are you as hungry as I am? We can go get something to eat, should have our travel plans figured out by the time we’re done.” The alpha chirped with a hand clap. His omega flinched, fear returning to his expression.

“I can cook… I can try. There’s things in the quarters…” Shun tried, falling silent when he saw the look on his alpha’s face. 

“Let’s go get some brunch.” Alaric sighed, “If you like cooking, you’ll have every opportunity to later on, but for now, let me spoil you.” Shun nodded in agreement, although it looked and felt more like a defeat than anything else. With that, Alaric paced to the bathroom to try to wrangle his pastel self into something presentable. His pajamas were something out of a rainbow car crash, and hell knows his hair stood every which way. 

Shun straightened himself some, but to Alaric’s confusion, stayed basically unchanged. The eyeliner that ran under his eyes was wiped into some semblance of formality, but all he wore still was that god forsakenly thin silk robe. 

“Aren’t you going to change?” the alpha tipped his head, as much as he enjoyed the sinful view he could sneak of his mate, the world didn’t need the same opportunity. 

“Into what else?” Shun responded sheepishly. He was afraid of what his alpha would say, but he literally had no control over his appearance. This was what they were given to wear, nothing more. 

“Try on some of my clothes?” Alaric shrugged, kicking himself for not realizing sooner. “I’ve brought way too much for this trip, surely you must  _ like _ something.” 

“I would be honored.” his omega bowed low, the bond lighting up with a true form of gratitude. One that was far too abundant for something like borrowing clothing. Alaric’s stomach turned once again.

“Shun.” the alpha managed to harden his voice. “Do you own anything?”

“No, Sir.” His omega answered quickly, ducking his head again as if a learned response. Alaric didn’t know which of the two were bothering him more, the term of “Sir” from his mate’s lips: or the fact that Shun was literally kept as property. A possession for alphas to use and  _ rent out _ on a whim. 

“That changes today.” the alpha growled, forgetting to give his omega any more context.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shun’s anxiety worsened as he was let out into the main veins of the hotel. His alpha had a securing arm around his hip, the borrowed clothes hung a little loose, but still fit him better than that ornate silk handkerchief. The young Harlow had his eyes set on a red glow before a manager had even emerged to speak with him. 

“Leaving so soon, Sir?” an even younger manager looked confused by Shun’s outfit, but decided against speaking of it.

“We will be checking out after lunch.” Alaric smiled like a devil as the formal man realized that he did, in fact, say “we”. 

“Sir, all due respect, sometimes the attendants feel as if they have bonded when they truly have not.” The accusatory glance he flashed towards Shun was highly uncalled for.

“That should reflect on how shit of persons the lot of you are, then.” Alaric bit bitterly around fangs. “I feel our bond, I knew it the moment our skin touched. Shun is my mate, and you  _ will _ treat him accordingly.” The hotel manager almost made the mistake of letting out an indignant sound, luckily for him he kept silent. The couple stepped from the building without any further protests from the gawking staff. The driver already pulled up to the main doors, a sleek town car held open and ready by a professional alpha.  

“Anywhere good, we’re going for lunch.” Alaric explained shortly, holding out an arm to prompt his blushing mate into the back seat.

“How did she know to be here?” Shun muttered. 

“I called for a car earlier.” Alaric thought nothing of it, lounging his long legs across his mate’s lap. “Drivers always know the best places to go, cuts the awkward conversation of ‘ _ I don’t know, what do you want?’ out want _ out completely.” Shun didn’t know what to do with his hands. The close proximity of his newly found mate sang along the bond, but his mentality was still terrified that this was all some drug induced connection. That it was going to evaporate any moment. 

“Did you hear me?” Alaric nudged the omega’s arm with a finger. Shun blinked in his confusion, looking over his mate’s curiously wide eyes. After another moment, it finally registered that he had been asked a question.

“I...I’m sorry, what was that?” the omega stuttered, an embarrassed blush blooming across his pale nose. 

“I asked if you were okay with leaving with me.” Alaric tilted his head. “I know it’s super sudden, and I don’t even know if you have any family in Maine or not. But I really don’t want to leave you down here. Especially with Louisiana’s absurdly medieval rules on  _ assistants _ . I’d much rather get you out of here, honestly.” 

“I don’t know anyone from Maine.” His defeated words fell like lead from his lips.

“It’s only temporary.” Alaric was quick to promise. “We can get a home virtually anywhere.” There it was, the omega realized, this alpha was planning on living with him for the long term. He felt the bond too. Even if it was a drug induced nightmare- the alpha never felt a bond. Unless this was his new master. 

“However I could be of use.” Shun smiled wryly. 

“Shun,” the alpha straightened himself, fixing his sight on his mate’s dicolored eyes. “I’m asking you if you would be willing to leave with me, not how could you be of use to me…”

“But, I…” the omega was silenced by a gentle finger pressed against his lips. 

“You aren’t drugged into thinking you’re my mate.” his alpha sternly clarified. “Our bond is still a fledgling, but I’m starting to be able to hear your thoughts, Shun. It’s real. It’s not your imagination and it’s definitely not some ploy of me trying to win control over you.” the two fell silent after the admission. Relief swam in Shun’s eyes, a silent hope flickered on both ends of the bond. It was strange to finally have the same emotion resonate  between them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric and Shun walked hip to hip. The teal haired alpha easily ignored any and all gawking of civilians around them. Shun was having a much harder time.

“I’ve got you.” the alpha muttered, leaning over to press a chaste kiss just behind his omega’s ear. “You’re okay.” Shun had to take it for face value. His awkwardness didn’t match Harlow’s ever present grace and confidence. Alpha was used to all of the attention. However, attention meant something so much darker to the omega than it did to his alpha. Just as Alaric expected, they were led in immediately, workers offering wide eyed stares as the couple followed a formally dressed host down the darkened isles. Once again, Alaric held out his arm in offering for his omega to sit down first. 

“What is this place?” the omega questioned, nerves mounting with the curious stares they were receiving.

“Lunch.” the alpha chirped, smiling at the professional greeting of a quickly approaching server. Shun stumbled through the first interaction horribly. Once the server had mercifully left, Alaric reached across the table and offered a hand for Shun to hold.

“You okay?” his words were hushed and his glowing amber eyes held concern. 

“Just… strange.” Shun spoke honestly, because his side of the bond was alight and making it impossible to hide anything anyway.

“I’m here,” Alaric purred, “No one’s going to treat you wrongly while I’m next to you, I’ll make sure of it.” 

“Can I ask something horrible?” Shun whimpered, feeling like the entire city was watching him with scrutinizing eyes. 

“Anything,” the alpha smiled softly. 

“Wh...what was your name?” shame blushed Shun’s nose. A whimper of understanding wheezed from the alpha’s throat.

“Alaric Harlow.” he spoke slowly. “Rickie, Al, BitchBaby. I’ve been called everything, so whatever you choose is fine with me.” 

“Alaric…” the omega smiled shyly, “I’m sorry, I know you’ve already told me. I’m just horrible with names.”

“Don’t worry, ask as many times as you need.” Alpha lifted his omega’s hand to press a kiss to the pale knuckles there. 

“I’ll get whatever you are.” Shun weakly smiled, his menu untouched in front of him. 

“Don’t say that, get whatever you want.” his alpha frowned again, his head tilting in question. 

“I can’t decide, it’s hard enough to not… panic…” Again, Shun forced himself to speak honestly. Alaric will be able to tell if he was lying by the bond that they shared. Nothing but warmth came from the alpha’s side. Alaric genuinely wanted Shun to be okay, for him to put all of the past behind him. Except it doesn’t work that quickly.

“Since we’re flying in a few hours. How about something light? I was considering this chop salad they have, or-... or since their grilled shrimp is posted everywhere those can't be all that bad either.” the alpha rambled to himself mostly as a way to bounce ideas off of the omega, but his omega had grown silent yet again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two settled for a couple salads. Nothing overly spectacular, but it was lunch. The server acted skittish of their table, worried about screwing something up, dropping off refills nearly every time she passed the low booth. 

“Shun,” The alpha prompted softly, “Where does your family live?”

“I don’t know.” he answered bleakly. 

“Do you know what state?” Alaric pushed some of the leaves in front of him around a little.

“When I was taken by the handlers, they moved to protect my baby sister.” Shun sighed, “It’s been years since, only god knows where they are now.”

“News will get around about us. If it isn’t already.” Alaric optimistically pointed out.”They’ll be able to reach out.” 

“Why would anyone care?” his omega whimpered, stuffing another bite into his mouth as an excuse to stop talking.

“You really don’t know who I am, do you?” the young Harlow wondered, propping his chin on a hand. “Ever heard of GreyViper Engineering?”

“The ones that are building androids, AIs and things?” his voice cracked, fear suddenly returning renewed in his beautiful dicolored eyes. 

“Mhm, I’m the son of the current CEO, but honestly I do more of the leg work than the old man.” his alpha was speaking, but Shun was too busy trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was sitting, having lunch with this gentle, pastel colored alpha… one he was fated to be mated with. Alaric was practically royalty, while Shun sat there, in borrowed clothes, barely even a master of his own will. If anyone sternly told him to get on his knees and suck them off here and now, Shun wasn’t sure if he could stop himself. The training he’s endured has submission ingrained into his very fiber. Everyone is Master, when people focus on him things get bad very quickly, try to stay as small as possible... It’s just better that way.

He’s sitting at lunch with his new boyfriend… the Robotics Prince. 

“Shun, you need to breathe.” the alpha’s voice grew hoarse with concern, Alaric… his alpha.

“I’m sorry-” the words stuck in his throat. 

“Just breathe.” hands were on him, his alpha had switched sides of the booth, scooching into the claustrophobic seat with him. His scent was nice. Warm, clean, rich: he even scented of the royalty everyone treated him as. Whether or not it was something artificial from a bottle was lost on the omega. He hadn’t had the honor of serving many alphas that cared about their personal hygiene. 

“Would a dessert help?” his alpha purred in his flushed mate’s ear. “If you want, we can just get going.” 

“Whatever you want.” Shun renounced. He would have been perfectly happy just staying here, tucked under his alpha’s gentle, protective arm. The thoughtful hum from Alaric vibrated warmly as dangerously shimmering eyes searched the omega’s face.

“We can get out of here,” the purr in the alpha’s voice sounded like a command, deep and dark, even though Shun was sure that wasn’t Alaric’s intention. “I’ll call Father, see what our situation is on the flight.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	3. Syncope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Jerry will be on the tarmac by one. _ Alaric smiled at the message, clicking his phone to lock just for a second. Eleven forty three. 

_ Thanks, Mom.  _ Alaric typed back quickly.  _ Let me guess, you have a room ready for Shun already? _

_ Naturally. _ She messaged back near instantly, Alaric could feel the sass of her words through the text.  _ You are coming home, right? _

_ I take that as I am now. _ Alaric’s smile grew. The two fledgling mates were in the back of the town car, the alpha’s thinly muscled legs stretched over Shun’s lap once again. His omega had an odd distant look in his eyes, and his bond was back to being that unnerving neutral. 

As concerning as it was to see Shun like this, Alaric had a firm grasp that this wasn’t something that would disappear by waving a magic wand. He just wanted his mate somewhere safe before they started to unpack all the luggage. He pet Shun’s baby doll porcelain cheek with the back of his fingers. A spark of fear jumped over the bond, Shun’s eyes flickering over to lock onto his alpha’s passively limp hand.

“Hello there.” Alaric whispered gently. “You with me?” The omega blinked his realization that he had spaced out, nodded abruptly and dropped his chin to his chest. 

“None of that.” the alpha chastised lightly, using the same floating hand to lift his mate’s face once more. “Our flight leaves in about an hour, anything you need to do before then?” He shook his head “no.” Of course, he would. Alaric hummed a thought as he leaned his head back on the glass pane. 

There was probably nothing here for Shun to claim as his own, of course, there would be nothing for him to take care of before he left. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The look on Shun’s face wasn’t lost on Alaric. He must have been expecting something completely different when the alpha had brought up that they would be flying out. Instead the two were walking out onto the runway with the pilot in tow.  Alaric was forever grateful for the consideration his mother had shown by sending a gentle beta to pilot the plane, verses the towering alpha his father would undoubtedly summon. 

Shun swallowed the lump in his throat as his pastel alpha lead him up the stairs. The craft was so much larger on the inside than he was expecting. Seating for easily a dozen people, more than comfortably, was arranged around them with a squat fridge and a dry sink nestled near the back tail of the plane. Alaric directed him towards one of the plush couches as he smiled and nodded to the sparse staff that were waiting on the jet. 

“Want anything to drink?” Alaric smiled, wrapping an arm around his omega’s shivering shoulders. He wasn’t surprised when Shun didn’t answer. The omega hummed pathetically as he leaned into the warmth of his defender. 

“Close your eyes, Baby Boy, I’ve got you.” Alaric mumbled into his dark hair, the rumble in his chest purring as he felt his omega relax into him. Curious glances from the two servers brought a slight blush to Alaric’s cheeks. They were smiling between themselves, one of them getting up to place at least a water bottle within reach of their boss. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The flight was quiet, the only voice to break the silence was the eventual announcement from Jerry in the pilot seat that they would be landing very soon. Alaric and Shun were wrapped around each other on the couch, the omega sound asleep against his alpha’s chest. The pastel painted alpha stretched out his legs as he shifted languidly under the sleep heavy omega.

“Hey, Sweetie.” He muttered, kissing into Shun’s dark hair and wrapping his arms tighter around his seemingly content mate. “It’s time to wake up.” He was answered by a groan, along with an exaggerated grimace of being bothered. Alaric couldn’t help the endearing chuckle from his chest. 

“I know, it’s horrible.” Alaric teased, allowing Shun his time to get his head back on straight before coaxing the both of them into standing. 

It was no surprise to Alaric that his mother was waiting on the tarmac for them to step out. She greeted them with a teasing call, her smile broad and pearly white. The omega woman bounced in place for a moment until her son forfeited in the form of a long overdue hug. 

“And you must be Shun.” she cooed, wrapping her arms around the taller omega. “You’re so tall, so beautiful- has my son been a gentlemen? I’ll beat him for you if you would like?” her smile revealed her tease, the bond was alight with endearment towards the woman from Alaric’s side. 

“Dear, you look faint.” her brow creased in worry. “Al said something about you being mistreated, wasn’t serious was it? Should I be calling a doctor?” Shun ducked his head, silently pleading for Alaric to make all this focus on himself come to an end. 

“He needs rest, Momma.” the alpha rolled his eyes. “Shall we get going? Or at least stop holding up the sky traffic?” She nodded her head, her dainty hand taking Shun’s wrists as she turned to pace away. Shun followed obediently before even registering what he was doing. To his relief, he saw that Alaric was walking close to his side. 

Alaric’s there, he wouldn’t let her do anything horrible to him. The alpha’s side of their bond lit in question, causing Shun to placatively shake his head. He was okay, he needed to be. He was just introduced as the son-in-law to the queen of robotics. What kind of impression would he be making if he had a panic attack right now? 

Just the thought of what would happen nearly brought him straight down into one. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I’ve got you, you know that, right?” his alpha cooed in his ear as they rode in the mother’s car. Shun nodded, purring thankfully as he let his head be pulled down onto Alaric’s shoulder. Mrs. Harlow smiled softly as she looked over her eldest son and his blushing bride to be. Their home was still a distance from the airport, but Shun looked as if he wasn’t up for all the questions that she had in store for him. Her son looked more tired than usual as well, but that could have been just how he was: being a night owl. 

“Did you eat?” She chimed softly, her green eyes flickering up to her son before returning to Shun’s blushing, sleepy face. 

“We did, thank you.” Al purred, “I know this isn’t what you had planned, I’m sorry. He’s… it’s just I don’t believe he’s had a peaceful day in a very long time.” 

“Should I call Kendrick?” She offered the family doctor once again. 

“We may need to eventually… If he isn’t completely stressed out, maybe he’ll be okay.” Al unconsciously gripped his mate tighter, nosing against Shun’s silk black hair for a moment to just calm himself. 

“You’re father’s being your father.” She rolled her eyes. “He’ll get over himself as soon as he sees Shun in person.” 

“Hope you’re right.” the younger smiled wryly. 

“Are you doubting your mother?” She thrilled her voice teasingly, but Al’s attention snapped up in a surge of unneeded panic. 

“I love you.” he chuckled between teeth, pulling Shun to lean on his shoulder as a way to reassure him that everything was okay. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To shun, their home was a castle. The driver pulled through the gates and up to the front entry. Mother and Al fluidly stepped out of the car, but Shun was left paralyzed. His eyes were moons as he fought the spiraling thoughts.

He did not belong here. 

A gentle touch was on his cheek yet again, how long had he spaced out? Al was crouched at the side of the car, his own dangerously shimmering eyes filled with worry.

“Hey there,” the alpha started with an unsure smile. Shun shook his head, trying to physically pull himself together. 

“Let’s get you inside, hm?” Al fixed a stray strand of his pastel teal hair back behind his ear before slowly stretching out a helping hand as offering. 

“I’m sorry.” Shun muttered, forcing his legs to take on the impossible task of supporting his weight. 

“None of that.” Al hushed, entwining one hand with the omega’s fingers while wrapping his other arm securely around Shun’s waist. “We’re home now, no one’s going to hurt you anymore.” 

Safety… is that what this was? Shun’s left leg didn’t move when he attempted to take a step. Al ended up taking most of his fumbling weight, tagging on a higher pitched question if he was alright. Shun stared down at the offending limb, his foot bent awkwardly from being dragged just behind him. A dark haze threatened to pull him under, his vision swimming for a moment. 

Alaric was still talking, he could feel the vibrations of the alpha’s voice, but none of the meanings reached Shun. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shun belatedly realized he had opened his eyes, wherever he was, it was dark. He could only make out the vague shadows of furniture around him. The bed he laid in was dressed warmly with fine cottons, the duvet over top thicker than some mattresses he’s slept on. Alaric’s scent was still faintly in the room, not saturated in every strand of fabric. This couldn’t have been the alpha’s usual room. Maybe an old room? Was this Alaric’s parent’s place?

The omega wasn’t sure if he was allowed to get up. His throat was dry, and his muscles ached, but he hadn’t woken up into a nightmare. He really didn’t want to push his luck. His alpha would eventually come to check on him.

Right?

Shun wasn’t sure on what time it was. He figured it was later at night, considering how dark it was in the room. Alaric wasn’t here with him, however. Was the alpha already growing tired of him? Did Shun do something wrong? Was he embarrassed by the way Shun passed out in front of his mother? Alaric wasn’t sleeping beside him like he had the first night. 

“We’ll continue this conversation later, Dad.” Alaric’s voice seeped in from behind a closed door. A dim glow danced under the small gap, Alaric’s feet casting dividing shadows in the golden light.

“Yes, later. Shun’s awake.” He continued to argue with the unseen alpha in the hallway with him. “Yes. I’m sure. We share a bond, remember?”  After another beat, heavy steps paced away and a gentle knock echoed off the solid wooden door.

“It’s me,” the pastel alpha was silhouetted by the light in the hallway as he slipped in, “Sorry about scaring you, ‘just needed to talk with Daddy-dearest.” Shun smiled, despite himself from the fact Alaric hadn’t forgotten about him at all. 

“How are you feeling? You really gave us a heart attack back there.” the alpha crossed the room with silent steps, the bed dipping under his weight as he sat on the edge. As he stumbled over a few words, he pulled one of his long legs up and curled under himself. Those hauntingly shimmering eyes roved over his mostly concealed mate. 

The omega swallowed his dry throat, his cracked lips sealing together as he strained to make out details of the shadowy figure through the dark. His alpha had asked him a question, yet he couldn’t bring enough courage to answer such a simple thing. In short, he felt awful. Shun had already caused enough headache for Al and his family, what right did someone like  _ him _ have to continue to be a thorn in such a perfect family’s side?

“Speak freely with me,” Al reminded on a shallow breath. The alpha reached out to cup Shun’s cheek, Al’s sharpened claws shouldn’t have been as surprising as they were. Even then, they were nothing but gentle as the points combed a bit of the omega’s hair back and out of his face. 

“I’m sorry it’s me.” Shun shyly muttered the words, thankful for the darkness because of the weak sense of privacy he had. He could feel how red with blush his cheeks were.

“Never be sorry.” Al’s voice cracked. “Shun, it’s okay. What ever happened, I’m not holding any of it against you. You are with me now, the north, the hotel, whatever it is, it’s over.”

“My family won’t be looking for me.” the omega groaned, “No one did. I had the chance to be free back north. If only someone came to pick me up. Instead, I was just passed on to the next handler.”

“I’m your family now. We are. Father will come around to the idea. He’s just pissy about the convention.” Alaric thumbed the tears that wetted his mate’s cheeks, Alpha’s dimly shimmering irises were the only light in the room. Shun didn’t understand how he could feel so safe with his stranger. He supposed Al was less of a stranger than before, but how could such a perfect man be stuck with a stained omega like him?

“It’s late enough we can just go to sleep.” Al offered, his voice hitching in insecurity. “Or, dinner is downstairs if you are hungry. My room is kinda’ a mess right now, so we can stay in here for the night… if that’s okay.” 

“How cute, you still live with your parents.” Shun smiled sheepishly, earning a lovely giggle from his mate. 

“Oh, hell no.” Al snorted. “I have three apartments, all of which are a wreck right now, but that’s whatever. Creative chaos, as Mother  _ oh so lovingly _ calls it.”

“All in the same area?” Shun gasped.

“No, in different states.” Al waved more like a flightless bird than he realized, “I’m messy not a hoarder. You’re ignoring the question anyway, are you hungry?” The omega curled tighter into the bedding as if he could physically hide from the question. His stomach was empty, but the thought of facing his alpha’s family terrified him. He already caused a scene in front of Al’s mother, Shun could imagine all the things she thought of him now. 

“Sweets,” the alpha purred, pawing at the mound of blankets Shun had concealed himself under. “It’s okay, there’s no need to be scared.” Cold air washed over Shun’s face as Alaric pulled the duvet back down. His pastel alpha leaned in closer, pressing his warm lips against Shun’s temple.

“I’ll be right next to you. If the anxiety starts again, I promise to catch you.” Their shared bond felt as if it were glowing between them. Warmth from Alaric’s strength sang across the strands and eased some of the many aches in Shun’s joints. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The house, somehow, looked larger on the inside than it did the out. Shun felt so far out of his element that tears began to sting his eyes. His vice grip on his alpha’s bicep only helped so much as they slowly moved down the front foyer’s staircase. The clean lines and cold colors of the house made it feel less than homey. Shun gawked around him amazed at the simplistic luxury, yet at the same time he wondered if he hadn’t been brought into some elaborate laboratory. 

By some miracle they didn’t run into anyone else as they made their way to the kitchen. Stainless steel appliances shined immaculately under the bright overhead lighting. More white coated the counters and cabinets. His alpha leaned over pressing another kiss into the side of Shun’s neck before escaping his omega’s fear fueled grasp. Alaric was the most colorful thing in the room as he searched through the fridge. Teal, medium length hair pointedly out of style, amber, dangerously predatory irises, and an odd match of tie dyed shirt and worn thin sweats: Shun’s alpha looked very out of place in such tidy, sterile surroundings. 

“We have the salmon and rice.” he chimed while his nose was still stuck between the fridge doors. Shun toed into the cold tile under his feet, afraid to lean his weight on the counter top. Alaric glanced over his shoulder to check if Shun had heard him. He had the two tupperware containers piled in his hands and a nervous grin on his face.

“You eat meat, right?” the alpha’s question was slightly more timid than the rest of his statements. 

“Oh.. yeah.” Shun blinked at the question, as if he’s had a choice in the past. Shun was just happy to get food; either he ate what he was given, or he went hungry. The alpha moved fluidly in the large space, making quick work of warming up the leftovers. All while Shun just stood there, feeling out of place in the pastel alpha's childhood home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Recondite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, this is them?” it was as if the question was voiced by Lucifer himself. The deep, rolling tones of the alpha echoed in the hard, cold lines of his house. 

“Yeah,” Alaric set his plate of mostly eaten food down on the coffee table, “Shun, this is my father, Father, my mate, Shun.” 

Shun fumbled to set his plate down, to stand at attention for the father’s inspection. Every fiber of the omega’s being was screaming his previous training at him. The intense glare and the hard line of Father’s mouth did not help the omega’s nerves at all. 

Eyes locked to the space between Father’s feet, shoulders back and his spine as straight as he could get it, Shun waited for his judgement. 

“Kneel.” that dark voice barked, Shun obliged instantly. There was little doubt that he had just split both of his knees on the wooden floor from how quickly and hard he had dropped. 

“Dad!” Alaric shouted in alarm, he reached for Shun’s shoulders nearly dragging the omega up by his armpits.

“He’s an obedient little whore, I’ll give you that much.” the elder growled, “Still nothing like who a Harlow should be associating with.” 

“Father, he and I are _mates_. There is nothing you can do to change my mind. I don’t care how many suitors you’ve tried. I don’t want any part of it!” the pastel alpha protectively held his omega against his chest, those amber eyes flecked with ruby dust.

“You honestly think that matters? Don’t tell me you think your mother and I are mates. You need someone of social standing!” Alaric the third was all but screaming at his son. He flickered his sight over the shaking omega once more, twisting a grimace of disgust. 

“Kneel.” the command barked harshly with every ounce of authority the senior alpha could voice. Despite Alaric’s attempt to hold his mate up, Shun dropped to his knees. His neck was bared in utter surrender and his lovely dichromatic eyes were blown sightless from fear. 

“You are being ridiculous!” the son growled, his features shifting into his more predatory background. 

“I refuse to let you ruin everything we have built for some whore.” Senior didn’t waver. The arteries of his throat bulged with the rate of his blood pressure. 

“You haven’t even given him a chance.” the pastel alpha was turning demonic, the fact that the two were related shown more now that he was succumbing to his rage. Shun was trembling where he knelt. His body wanted to cave, and his consciousness threatened to be plunged back into darkness. Muscles ached from trying to be still, the anxiety of what would happen if he fell out of position was the only reason he was still upright at all. 

Father snorted, the feral growl low in his throat reverberating on the solid surfaces of his house. Seemingly fed-up with the whole situation, the elder turned on a heel and paced out of the living room. 

“Shun?” how long had his alpha been calling his name? “God, Baby, please.” Alaric’s face was so close to his. His alpha was beautiful, not necessarily in the rugged way that many alphas were expected to be. If someone had told him Alaric was an omega, he would have believed them. His high cheekbones and his thin slightly rounded jawline lent himself as more feminen than predator… at least it did while he wasn’t shifting. 

Alaric was hushing, the softest sound between sharp fangs. “Calm down, Babe. I’m right here.” His scent was all around the omega, consuming his senses and wiping away the thought of being in such a sterile territory of the senior alpha. 

“Those commands got to you badly, didn’t they? Just put your head down, it’s okay.” Al kept alternating between whispers and humming.  Soft, soothing words slowly replaced the ones that Father had planted in Shun’s mind. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two slept tangled together that night. Alaric woke before his mate, yet again, but he just laid there for a while. Watching, studying, as the morning light shined on Shun’s milk white, flawless skin. He looked absolutely adorable the way he had curled on his side, Alaric’s shirt barely able to cover past his hips. His round little tush happened to be on full display, since Shun had kicked his half of the blankets off during the course of the night. 

Alaric couldn’t even tear his sight from his sleeping omega because of how beautiful he looked. Shun seemed to be perfectly content hugging a pillow, sleeping in one of Alaric’s rainbow band shirts. 

As heavenly as it would be to run his fingertips over his omega’s perfect thighs, or to wake him with a gentle bite along that sensitive gland at the base of his throat. Alpha knew his love needed to rest. Last night had taken a toll on his love’s sanity. If Alaric has any say in it, he and Shun will be sleeping in his apartment, away from Father, come tonight. Instead of caving to his carnal urges, Alaric laid there, captivated by his sleeping mate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric lead Shun down the staircase later in the morning, his hand low on his mate’s back to keep him from freezing every few steps. He had made the promise that his father’s words meant nothing to him. Even if he was “cut out” of the family’s business, there was no way Father could take his inert skill from him. Alaric would forever be able to work and the two of them would be more than fine, even without the Harlow name.

Father’s jaw tightened at the sight of the couple. Mother smiled wryly, her enthusiasm curtailed by her husband’s demeanor. 

“Good morning, boys.” she squeaked, an honest smile reaching her eyes before a look of worry over took it with a glance towards her husband. Harlow senior grunted, pointedly glaring at Shun to make the omega insecure of himself. He wasn’t welcomed in this alpha’s house.

“Morning, Mother.” Alaric hugged her tightly, his head turning into her ear as he whispered something, her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. She incredulously gawked at her son before letting her sight land on Shun. She said nothing, but her hand found her son’s and squeezed once before gracefully retreating to the other side of the sterile kitchen. 

“No whores at the counter.” Father bit as soon as Al slid a steaming cup of coffee over for Shun to take. The omega retreated back a few steps, an apology at the tip of his tongue. 

“Rickie!” Mother gasped, finding herself under her husbands disapproving glare. 

“Don’t even start.” he growled, apparently happy with Shun’s reaction since he returned to reading the news off of his phone. “Oh, Alaric. You have a press conference at three. I expect you to explain that you were mistaken- and apologize for the postponement of our launch.” 

“I’ll reiterate my excitement for finding my mate, and push the creators of RovAr to the front spotlight.” the pastel alpha grinned with a wink, his coffee safely in his grasp as Father growled a warning. 

“Alaric Harlow the fourth. You are disgracing your name!” the plate that happened to be in front of the senior hit the floor with a loud crash. Porcelain bits scattering across the white tiles. 

“By not turning my back on the one that I’m born to love?” the younger hardly seemed phased. He stood between Shun and his father, watching as the senior began to slip into a rage fueled shift.

“Don’t worry, _Dad_. Shun and I will be out of your hair tonight.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Al thought nothing about leaving Shun behind the stage as he mentally prepared to face the herd of reporters. GreyViper logos were projected nearly every flat surface. A Harlow had announced that they had found their mate. This was foreign in the untouchable family- only the best of the best could ever hope to become among their ranks. 

Someone happened to be Alaric the fourth’s mate? 

He had dressed up for the occasion, his perfect smile in place as he posed for a photo that would end up in one tabloid or another. Shun stayed back, hidden from the spotlight, not because Al had asked him- out of fear. His mate was a natural in the crowd, leading the attention around the room with well placed jokes and a handful of one off comments towards the premature questions. 

Shun flinched when the security touched his arm, the alpha quietly mumbling if he was alright. Of course, he nodded, studying the name tag and the man’s towering build. One of Alaric’s men, or perhaps one of the men that regularly worked in this venue. It was a nice enough of a place. 

Alaric took center stage with a welcoming boom of his voice. Within seconds, he was drowned out by the number of people shouting their questions. Al playfully rolled his eyes, made a comment of how popular he had become over night thanks to his love as he held out a hand to point at an omega reporter, the only one he could spot in the sea of alphas. 

“The Harlow family is notorious for going against mating bonds. How do you plan on breaking such a tradition?” he stuttered more than once, but Al couldn’t help the adoring smile on his face.

“No one is just their background. If we kept to old traditions forever, we wouldn’t be nearly as advanced in technology as we are. Besides, it’s time for that heartless note to change- wouldn’t you agree?” 

“Sir Harlow!” an alpha shouted over the rest, his voice was annoying at best, perhaps if Al took his question he would have an excuse to shut up. “Do you feel safe, given your mate’s history?” Al blinked his confusion, his brow quirking before he could catch it. 

“My precious mate had fallen victim of the system, and was failed by those around him. That hardly is a reflection of himself.” Alaric frowned at the look in the reporter’s eyes, he obviously wasn’t done with the Harlow quite yet. 

“Shun Ito was charged and convicted of murdering an alpha, aren’t you concerned he would do the same to you?” the reporter held his pen up and ready for a response. The room around Alaric was suddenly void of air. His mate, his Shun was a murderer? That docile, fearful omega had blood on his hands… Alaric swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at a space along the back wall for a moment.

“He must have had a reason. We all know how biased the law is against omegas… This is something I… we will have to work through.” Alaric turned to pace off of the stage, his eyes ruby red and lined with tears as the words of his father rang too clearly in his head. Did the old man know of this? Was he just trying to protect his son after all? Shun had crushed himself into the furthest back corner he could fit. His dichromatic eyes locked onto Alaric with nothing but an apology in them. 

“Let’s go find somewhere private, shall we?” Al offered a hand to help Shun to his feet. The both of them needed out of there. Alaric needed answers and Shun needed to be brought somewhere safe from the news media’s prying eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shun severely reclused into himself during the ride to Alaric’s apartment. Alpha was trying to not let his mind get the better of him while scenarios rang in his head. Shun must have had a solid reason for doing something like that, if he even had done it at all. His omega kept his hands folded in his lap, head down, shoulders hunched. He clearly wanted to be as small as possible. He would probably disappear if he had the chance to. This meek man couldn’t be a threat to Alaric. The alpha just couldn’t see it. He was so soft spoken, so gentle with everything that he does. It was almost like he was _afraid_ of hurting someone. 

“The house we’re going to is a mess, hope you’ll be able to excuse it.” Al tried to smile a bit, the effort failing quickly. Shun ducked his head lower, tears brimming his lashes but he made no move to even acknowledge them. 

“I want your side of the story.” Alaric spoke bluntly. “I know how brutal news and rumors are, I just… I think I should know what happened.” Shun’s jaw tightened, stress tensing all of the sinews in his throat as he jerkingly nodded. White knuckles stayed folded in his lap, nearly shaking with the force his nails were cutting into his palms. Still he never could bring himself to look up at his alpha. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Go sit down, I’ll make room and some coffee.” Alaric muttered into his omega’s neck as they stepped into Alaric’s flat. He was tempted to run his gentle fangs across that fluttering artery to see if he could quell some of that paralyzing fear that was flickering from his mate’s side of the bond. Shun didn’t give a response, he just carefully stepped over some of the scattered computer bits and moved towards the sitting room. 

His apartment in Maine hadn’t been used since his trials with Evan. It’s been long since launched, and is actually pretty successful in market; but if anyone saw his living room with bits of many Evans’ wire guts randomly strewn they would think Alaric mad. 

The alpha had both arms full of half soldered memory boards as he toed the spare room’s door open. Without much thought, the metal bits were abandoned on the already half covered twin bed, stubbing his toes on an unused Ai’s torso.

Feeling as if he had made enough progress for now, Alaric returned to the sitting room to offer the small space at the counter to Shun. Except he didn’t immediately see Shun in the room. The alpha froze in the entryway, confusion and anxiety raising the hairs on his arms as he glanced around his cluttered space. 

There in the corner, as far out of the way as he could get, Shun was knelt on the wooden flooring. He had his shoulders hunched, his hands purposefully passive on his thighs. Alaric stuttered a few syllables, sighing softly as he licked his dry lips. He knew Shun was nervous about talking. Al supposed this was a good way as any for Shun to show that he didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just wished that this wasn’t a  thing at all… Shun had killed someone. It was next to impossible to believe it. He was such a docile omega, what could possibly push him to that extreme?

“Let’s go sit in the kitchen.” Al’s voice was smaller than he remembered it being. “I made room.” 

His omega kept his head ducked, trying to stay shorter than him despite their similar build. Even as Al patted at the seat for the other to sit, he nervously dug a toe into the floor and kept his hands flat on his thighs to keep them from shaking. 

“I do want to know what happened, but… start wherever you're comfortable?” Alaric coaxed, his own sanity on edge. “After this, we can just do nothing for the rest of the day. I just… need to know what kind of ammunition they’re going to have against me… against us.”

“For what it’s worth, I was defending myself.” Shun blurted. The look on his face telling Alaric that he did not expect to be believed. 

“Don’t they have exemptions for self defence? How did you get…” the alpha gasped, freezing mid-thought.

“Alphas are known for being violent… it’s just hormones then. An omega does something… it’s a reflection of his character.” Shun spat. He seemed to have caught himself before any of his temper could truly flair. His lower lip was caught between fangs and his palms were back to being forced flat on his thighs. 

“I should have known better, should have just taken it once and gotten it over with… I… my self defence was thrown out because he didn’t get far enough to leave much evidence on me.” his omega was speaking mechanically now. The life in his mismatched eyes had long since gone out. Shun must be dissociating from the conversation. The topic too much for him to relive. If he truly believed that if he had just “put up” with whatever that alpha had in mind he would have ended up better off… How could any system fail someone so terribly? 

“Was he… going to-”

“Rape me. Yeah.” a flash of hate crossed the omega’s face, but it only lasted a split moment. If Alaric hadn’t been studying every minute twitch of his omega’s face, he would have missed it. 

“As punishment for fighting back, they trained me to be a _whore_.” Shun choked on the final word, his breath finally catching in his throat. The pastel alpha pulled him against his chest, tucking Shun’s blushed red nose against his scent. 

“You know you can tell me ‘no’. Right?” that wasn’t a question he thought he would have to clarify, looking back, it should have been obvious.

“Strange concept.” the omega mumbled, half kidding. It still brought a weak smile to the alpha’s face. “I was promised a day of nothing.” the omega decided.

“May I ask something horrible first?” Alaric wondered aloud. 

“It was a gun. He was holding a gun against me, I got it, and turned it on him.” he answered without the question. A look that scared Alaric crossed his omega’s face. It wasn’t a heartless malice, instead he was lost. Shun seemed broken, hopeless. He had enough spirit in himself to fight before, but after- only hell knows how long- surviving that light was running out. 

“I’m proud of you, for what it’s worth.” Alaric offered, only tightening his hold on his omega’s shaking shoulders. “You made it to me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. Stolen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric and Shun laid low for a couple days after the interview. The media was busy buzzing about the “Harlow’s Murderous Mate”, but nothing really came out of the publicity. Shun and his alpha were currently curled on the couch of the recently cleaned room. Alaric tried to straighten everything up, but Shun ultimately batted the alpha away and took over that task. His pastel alpha spent the next half hour sitting in the corner like a puppy in time out. 

They had the television on, not that they were paying much attention to it. Alaric seemed much more content with passively massaging circles into Shun’s shoulder. The omega wasn’t about to stop his alpha either. He could easily get used to the simple, natural seeming way Alaric showed affection. 

The alpha’s cellphone had gone off multiple times since they had reclused to the suite. After a while, Alaric just turned the device off and hasn’t gone back since. Eventually the two would have to reemerge into the world, but for now they were content just like this. 

“Alaric.” Shun muttered, his purr stuttering off and on with the sensation of the alpha’s fingers in his shoulder. 

“Yeah?” Alpha seemed drunk in his own right, drinking in the sight of his content mate. 

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad I fought.” Shun almost acted ashamed of his statement. 

“I am too,” the alpha rolled a warm growl, leaning in closer to press a kiss to Shun’s jawline. The two snuggled in closer to each other, the bond between them alight with warmth. Shun purred a stuttering sound as if he were a newborn kitten. Alaric couldn’t help but press another kiss into his mate’s skin.

“You smell so sweet today.” his alpha noted, those amber eyes sparkling with mischief. Blush instantly lit in Shun’s cheeks, his eyes dilated with realization. 

“My heat- what day is it?” the omega squeaked, escaping off of the couch and into the open space of the living room. Without giving Alaric a chance to answer, his mate ran down the hallway and locked himself in the bathroom. Panic was flickering from Shun’s side of the bond. Alaric was left bewildered as he slowly shadowed his mate to his hiding place.

“Do you not want me with you during it?” Alaric squeaked, his forehead pressed to the cold, closed door. Shun was silent on the other side, his back pressed against it as if he would be able to keep the alpha from coming in. His fear was selfish and ungrounded: at least that was what he was telling himself as he fought back the demons. 

Alaric consistently proved himself to be a good guy. Not to mention that Shun already found himself melting into a content puddle of omega goo under Alaric’s hands. What the alpha could do during  heat and how amazing it must be brought a searingly hot blush to the omega’s cheeks. A blush Alaric was pointedly never going to see. 

“Its not that… I just… I don’t know.” Shun’s voice cracked as he tried to hide his anxiety. Alpha could see right though the weak facade. 

“Do you think I would have time to run somewhere and get you suppressants?” Alaric offered, fighting his urge to test if the handle was actually locked. 

“That’s something you can just… get?” Shun worried his lower lip, silently cursing his history and how it made him this skittish little omega. 

“Yeah, did they never… oh god.” He had cut himself off, Shun could feel a wave of nausea and rage rolling from the alpha’s side of the bond as a growl curled from between grit teeth. A part of him felt a morbid relief, the majority of his mind was scared that Alpha would be angry that he’s spent previous heats trapped under strangers. It took a solid moment for Al to pull his thoughts together. Shun still hadn’t moved from his spot, holding himself up in the bathroom for a weak sense of security. Al cleared his throat, cracked his neck, and stepped away from the doorway.

“I’m going to run down the street.” he promised on a growl, “I’d rather you to be comfortable in the bedroom, but… if you feel safe in there.” 

Shun held his breath until he heard the front door clicked shut. His alpha was actually going to get something to bypass this heat instead of trapping him in a nest. It wasn’t fully there, probably still a day or two away, but his scent was already starting to shift towards those sweeter notes. 

Alaric was going to help him, without repeating his history. That was what Shun had to focus on so that he could have the courage to emerge from his hiding. The fact that alpha wasn’t there at the moment also helped tremendously. He couldn’t help the endearing smile at the mess in the corners of Al’s room. He clearly had made an effort to straighten out the apartment, but there were just so many computer parts. There was no way he would be able to store this much equipment without it bleeding into almost every room of the house. Right, there was a circuit board in the bathroom, wasn’t there? 

The bed was dressed with fairly clean sheets. The two had spent the last couple of nights here, but most of the time was spent in the living room. The first night they both fell sound asleep on the couch to an overly dramatic soap opera, in another language that neither of them could speak. 

Alaric didn’t take advantage of him then, he didn’t even waver his devotion when Father was yelling at him. Somehow he had been matched with an alpha that had a heart of gold. He wanted to protect Shun. Even though Alaric came across as a bit dense every so often, he legitimately meant no harm. History wasn’t going to repeat itself: that was Shun’s promise to himself. He wouldn’t be driven to the point of needing to fight back anymore, and he wouldn’t be punished even if he did. 

The room was strange, compared to the simplistic mansion Al had apparently grown up in. None of the furnisher matched. One of the walls were dedicated solely to shelves that were overflowing with wire, bits, and tools. The other wall had a low dresser, supporting a mirror far too small for the type of set up. The king sized bed was in the off center of it’s own wall and knocked slightly cockeyed. Not by any form of design Shun had ever seen: it was like someone had bashed into the side of the bed, and just never fixed it. His alpha seemed to have lived for work, and not cared for much else. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric knew he had went a bit overboard. He could only imagine the types of headlines if he had been caught by someone with the kinds of things he has stashed in the paper bags clutched to his chest. He toed the door to his suite open, unsure if he should call into the home or not. Everything was quiet, and he could have sworn it looked a bit cleaner now than when he had left. 

Shun wasn’t in the front rooms, with any luck he had made it to the master bedroom. If he tried to go into the guest, Alaric shuddered, he would have even more reason to strangle the alpha. Nearly everything that once had a home on the floor throughout the apartment was moved to the guest bedroom. It looked as if someone had set a nuke off inside a computer. 

Al set the bags on the kitchen’s island to fish out the box of suppressants he had promised. Shun should be able to calm down once he sees these, the alpha tried to convince himself. The bond between the two had been flickering between a reserved hope and paralyzing anxiety. Of course, he would have trouble trusting after what he had been through: it still hurts to see. 

“Shun.” Al knocked on the tightly closed bedroom door. “May I come in?” The omega’s response was muffled, but Al took it as a chance to slip into the room. His omega had made a meager nest atop the bed. Shun didn’t raid the closets or anything, just balled up what was already out and curled himself amongst the chaos. 

“I brought these for you, they should help.” Al’s words were met with a spike of fear from Shun’s side of the bond. The alpha stayed a fair distance from the edge of the nest, holding out the box so that Shun could take it if he decided. The alpha couldn’t believe that Shun wasn’t even aware that heat suppressants were a thing that was fairly easy to get a hold of. He also supposed that there was a lot of common things one would forget about if they were thrown into that kind of lifestyle. 

It was only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity, before Shun emerged from the comfort of his nest to snatch the box his alpha offered. Just as quickly, he recoiled back into the fortress of cotton. Worry began to dissipate for the both of them as Shun busied himself with reading the side panels of the medication. 

“Would you like more blankets or something?” Al offered, pointing over to his half ajar closet. Surely, Shun must have seen that. He had to have seen the blankets and dressings just a few feet from him- yet he didn’t go for any of them. 

“I could find you some less… I don’t know.” Al stuttered. “How about some… lighter clothes?” What almost sounded like a giggle came from the mass of blankets. The alpha noticed the blue half of Shun’s bicolored gaze sneaking a look at him from between wrinkled sheets. Trouble was definitely there. Before the alpha could question the sudden shift in his omega’s behavior, his own playful growl sounded as he slowly crept onto the nest. 

Shun’s purr was unexpected, and it held Alaric in an almost hypnotic daze. He had propped himself up over his omega, careful to crush as little of the nest as possible. Those bicolored eyes locked to him, but he could only stare at the shy, little, ghost of a smile that was on Shun’s full lips. His omega was happy, he had done something right, and he was being rewarded in a way he never realized he needed. That genuine look on his omega’s face and the warm purr of his omega’s voice: Alaric would forever be craving moments like this. 

“You really are beautiful.” the alpha rumbled, almost purring, himself. He had the insatiable crave to claim his omega’s lips with his own. He wanted to study every inch of his love’s skin with gentle, ghostly touches. Shun managed to have all of Alaric’s attention solely on himself. Now that he had it, he wasn’t too sure what to do with it. He fought to not let his smile waver in fear of causing Alaric to leave. Unknowing what to do with his hands, he felt the warmth of alpha’s skin through his clothing, even just by his shoulders. A worried look crossed the scent drunk alpha’s expression. Shun started to sputter apologies, only perplexing his alpha more. 

“What is it?” Al hushed, “Am I too close?”

“Sorry, don’t go.” Shun rushed. The pastel alpha was thoroughly confused then. Without prodding anymore, he flopped onto his side in the nest and pulled Shun up against his chest. Shun’s strange behavior must have been because of his pending heat. Al knew his omega was scared: but why would he… 

“You’re safe here, you know that, right?” Al muttered into Shun’s silk, inky hair. 

“Strange concept.” his omega admitted bitterly. “It’s not you… it’s… I don’t know how to explain it without sounding pathetic.” 

“You would never sound pathetic.” the alpha growled harmlessly as he tightened his hug around Shun. “Know what, roll over.” Alaric prompted, shifting himself to loom over the omega. Shun froze as he stared questioningly up at those sparkling amber irises. 

“Not going to do anything bad, just a back rub.” his alpha grinned, “Unless you don’t want one?” Shun rolled over if only to hide how ferociously he was-  _ totally not _ \- blushing. He couldn’t help the flinch when Al’s hands smoothed up under his shirt. His alpha settled over him, knees straddling his thinner thighs. The hush quickly followed by the chaste kiss on Shun’s shoulder blade sent chills down his spine. 

“After your heat passes, I wanna’ take you out and spoil you.” his words were heady and his hands were wringing out groans as they found the knots in Shun’s too tight muscles.

“Then we can go to Cali, I can show you my homebase. Hope my pet Pants doesn’t bother you though.” Alpha sounded as if he was in the process of becoming drunk off of Shun’s scent again.

“Pet pants?” Shun squeaked, again, totally not blushing from how close and amazing his alpha was.

“My baby girl ball python, her name is Pants because, why not?” Alaric chuckled, “It’s been a while since I’ve been home, it’s about time for her next feeding. I can’t expect the house staff to do that for her.” 

“How does one sex a snake?” Shun furrowed his brows. “How the hell does one look at a snake and think ‘ _ I shall call you Pants _ ’?” his alpha laughed heartily, resorting to pressing his forehead between Shun’s shoulderblades as he recovered from the adorable sight of perplexed Shun.

“She’s too big to be a male, at least that’s how I did it.” Alaric peppered his omega’s hair with kisses. “And again, Why  _ can’t _ a snake be called Pants?” He must have hit a particularly tight knot, since Shun forgot to retaliate and melted into the mattress. Alpha couldn’t help the adoring hum that vibrated in this chest as he doted over his pliant omega. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father sent an aid to fetch his son. Since Alaric was behaving- in the father’s eyes- as a child, he would treat Alaric as a child. The alpha was currently standing guard over his mate, who was barely shielded from the grasp of his heat thanks to modern medicine. The disheveled alpha clearly wasn’t happy with the intruders. 

“He killed while he was in his heat, ever since he’s been required to be under supervision.” one of the betas were talking. Alaric completely ignored the words as he growled at the enforcers flanking the forgettable character.

“I’m supervising him, and he’s been nothing but sweet.” Al snipped. He had locked his apartment door behind himself. Long since assuming that they weren’t going to leave without a little encouragement: he didn’t need one of the slimy bastards slipping in around him. 

“Alaric, please. Just come with me and let these men do their jobs.” the assistant tried to reason with the fuming alpha. Al was already shifting as he stood firm between the handlers and his omega. 

“The lot of you can tell my father to fuck off.” his voice was devolving into demonic growls. The little assistant looked honestly remorseful for what he was sent to do, but he kept trying to convince Alaric that everything would be okay. Just go with him peacefully.

One of the handlers jerked the assistant back, reaching to physically move Alaric out of their way. The alpha lashed out, unable to compete with the larger man’s strength. The last thing he saw was the handler pulling back a punch. Within a second later, the world spun from beneath him and the pastel alpha hit the floor. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Look what your moronic brut did! I said to get that stray away from him, not put my son in the fucking hospital!” of course, it would be father’s voice he would wake up to. The air was too steril for him to still be home. Another voice was chittering at a much more subdued volume, so quickly it was impossible for Alaric’s groggy mind to catch anything they were saying. 

What did he do with Shun?

The bond was so distant. There had to be miles between the two. A very pale sliver of the bond still reached Alaric, and it was lambent with fear. The machines around the pastel alpha picked up with Alaric’s rapidly rising heartbeat. A nurse knocked formally on the glass door, her bright eyes landing worriedly on Alaric.

“Where is he?” Alaric screamed, “What did he do with Shun?” 

“Can you calm down for us? I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding.” she tried. Her professional smiling wavering.

“You don’t know my father like I do. Where the fuck is Shun!” the younger pulled against the wires he was tangled in, the volume of his voice causing the man of the hour to pace into the residential room.

“You will thank me one day,” he declared. “I just saved your life.” 

“You are a heartless, pathetic excuse of an alpha!” Alaric’s claws tore into the bed underneath him, security had shouldered their way into the room and were now grasping both of the younger alpha’s arms. 

“Bring me my mate!” Alaric snapped at the top of his lungs. All but his father flinched at that statement. Most of the other room’s attendance glanced questioningly at the senior. 

“Harlows don’t have mates. Especially mates that are murderers and whores.” he spoke flatly. “Either get yourself together, or you’re out of the family.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas!  
> Okay, so. 
> 
> Next week I will not be posting. Between work and school I don't believe I'll be able to get enough written for the next update, and personally I'd rather not rush something trash when I could just take my time and push something mediocre. I'm not dying, it's fine. I'll be back... just not next week. (its going to hurt me too)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was playing nice. Only because he needed access to the business to try to track where he had sent Shun off to. Progress on the actual projects he should have been working on was at a complete standstill. The employees around him didn’t make any comments about how often their boss was found staring out the window, tears shamelessly running down his cheeks, and a hand physically grasping at his heart where the thin, dying thread of the bond sat. Shun hasn’t had a decent day since he was taken. Hell or high water- Alaric was going to figure out how to get him back. His secretary kept putting off public outings for him. He really needed to figure out how to get that sweet little omega into a better position. He always worked way harder than those around him, and since he’s an omega he was always pushed to the side. 

Alaric was sick of seeing this kind treatment. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four months in, Alaric had only two leads- both of which led him absolutely nowhere. What was scaring him most was recently the bond was cutting off completely for periods of time. He knew Shun needed to be rescued from wherever he was, but if his spirit should be snuffed out? What if Alaric lost his mate for good? Would he be able to trust himself to not murder his father?

He was sitting in his office yet again, this time prying further into the programming of his father’s systems. Surely, he must still have some kind of way of checking in on Shun. Father was not the type to leave anything up to chance. He must be checking in every month, or every week to make sure that Shun was still tucked away somewhere safely out of reach. 

The media has exploded from this. Half of the media believed that Father was right. Alaric should stick with traditional values, what kind of example is he setting for the children? The other half fully supports the “Robotics Romeo.” Despite all the publicity, not a single one has reported a single sighting. 

“Alaric.” the omega secretary knocked on the glass office door. It took an honest moment or Al to pull himself together enough to meet the even younger man’s eye. 

“Line four.” the omega stuttered. “I think you really should take it.” 

“Is it Jackass?” he groaned, glancing over to the blinking red light of the phone. 

“No. It’s Don- I think- they have an accent.” the omega tried. Al nodded, reaching for a blank piece of paper before hyping himself up for actually talking like an adult. 

“Hello, thank you for holding-” Al started, finding himself interrupted by a singing, happy voice.

“Fourth Harlow the Al-chic?”

Al stopped for a moment, confusion turning to amusement as he realized what was said. “S… speaking?”

“We’ve tracked down the missing person’s report for a Sir Ito.” the stranger was getting ahead of himself, Alaric was really hoping that he was hearing the other man right. He couldn’t exactly put a finger on what accent the stranger had.

“Shun? You have information on him?” Alaric squeaked, choking himself to silence as he rechecked the area around him. Father wasn’t there. Father doesn’t know.

“I am Donato,” the chirping man introduced himself. “Sir Shun has been brought to us about a week ago. He brought you up by name- so we were hoping you would be able to come out here to see him.”

“Where?!” Alaric was already standing, pacing toward the door before the loud crash of the wired phone’s body hitting the office’s hard floor reminded him he was still attached to a landline. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A secretary greeted him in a warm language, reminding him that he couldn’t just shoulder his way through the barricade. He tried to give her his name, but she seemed a bit bewildered by the language barrier. 

“So soon?” that same voice from over the phone called from across the waiting room. Alaric turned to see a short, blue eyed, golden skinned omega. He smiled honestly, energy and excitement rolling off of him in waves.

“You must be Don?” Al found himself relaxing in this omega’s presents. If he had Shun, it couldn’t be as bad as his mind was conjuring. 

“I am, I already let Joseph know to get him ready. If you would like, you can stay with him in his room for the next while.” Don held out an arm, holding the pastel alpha’s elbow as he lead him into the maze of the recovery center. The bond was growing stronger as he came closer to the center. Alaric didn’t have a hotel, luggage, or a plane ticket back: but he had to have Shun back in his sight. 

“How did you find him?” Alaric couldn’t keep his thoughts in order, the bond was so bright. It had been so long since…

“He was flown here to be put under protective custody. I must warn you. He’s been through a lot, and his physical… condition is most likely very different from when you last saw him.” 

“Is he okay?” the alpha crumpled. 

“We have Shun now.” Don spoke placatively, stopping in front of a numbered doorway. “Here.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric didn’t know if he wanted to cry from joy or anguish first. He bolted across the room, ignoring the tall alpha that was doting over his mate. Shun’s scent was as heavenly as he remembered it, his hair was a bit longer, and his body was so much lighter than he recalled. He was on the large bed with his mate before he realized what he was doing. He needed to be closer, needed to have Shun held against his heart. 

Shun didn’t seem to react at all, it was as if all of his life was gone. 

Alaric pulled the blankets to the side, now having a clear view of Shun in the hospital given gown and set of soft sweatpants. He could only clutch tighter to his omega as the two of them entangled into each other.

Shun’s side of the bond only held guilt. He couldn’t even bring himself to raise his eyelids as he limply surrendered to whatever Alaric seemed to want.

“No.” Al growled, pressing Shun’s chilled nose right against his scent and holding him impossibly closer. “None of this is your fault, I swear to you, Shun. I… I should have fought harder.”

The bouncy omega chimed something in italian, causing the attending alpha to slip out of the room. Don had a watery smile, his hands were in the pockets of his nursing smock to hide that he was shaking.

“I can’t imagine how difficult this is for the two of you.” He valiantly tried to speak evenly, but his voice cracked. “Have you eaten yet, Alaric? I can call for dinner to be brought up for the both of you.” 

Al shrugged the question away, he wasn’t hungry at all. He only wanted to murder the bastards responsible for hurting his omega, seconded only by the absolute need to have Shun closer. Don watched them closely for a few more moments before clapping with his decision. 

“For Jo’s safety, he won’t be coming back here, and it would be pure neglect if I let one of our guests go hungry, now wouldn’t it?” Donato pointed to the squat fridge in the further corner of the room, “I’ll have them drop something off for the both of you, just warm it up when you’re ready to eat, alright?”

Al could do that much, he thanked Don again, barely even lifting his head to see the omega leave. His nose was buried in Shun’s dark locks. Shun all but concealed in his alpha’s arms and cloaked in the warm blankets of the large bed. It didn’t feel quite real yet. He had found his mate. 

If Shun still had any life left in him was yet to be seen. Alaric’s hands didn’t still as they rubbed the shivering omega’s back and shoulders, eventually one of his palms settled at the base of Shun’s scruff. Alpha never intended on rendering his omega even more helpless than he was, but some primal side of his mind was hoping that the notion would calm his omega’s nerves. 

Alaric didn’t expect to hear Shun’s purring again so soon. It was a weak and shaky sound, but it tore Al’s soul in half. 

“I love you, too.” the alpha barely sobbed out, curling himself around his delicate little mate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before the morning even started, Alaric was jerked awake by a sharp jab to his ribs. His yelp echoed in the small room, his omega’s whimpering, however, snapped him out of it. Shun had to have been trapped in a nightmare. His dark hair clung to his forehead. White knuckled fists twisted into the blankets around him as his teeth ground around his keening whimpers. Alaric could feel his heart leap to his throat. 

Movement at the other side of the bed almost caused Alaric to pull Shun protectively against his chest, but it was that attendant from yesterday. He pulled the blankets away, leaning some of his body weight onto the bed to be able to turn Shun onto his side facing Alaric. Al could see that Shun’s eyes were open, but they held no light. His mate was trapped in his mind, reliving whatever hell he had gone through. Jo propped pillows against Shun’s back to keep him from falling over. His quick hands untied the smock they had Shun dressed in, so that his flushed skin could be cooled by the room’s air. 

“Shun, Sweets?” Al didn’t know what to do with himself. His fleeting touch ghosted over Shun’s strained expression. The absolute intensity he was flexing his muscles looked as if his skeleton was trying to burst from his flesh. Joseph kept his voice even and consistent, rolling meaninglessly in italian. 

The first sign of Shun coming back around was him clutching at Alaric’s arm. Shun was desperate to pull his mate closer, or perhaps he was trying to convince himself that Al wasn’t just part of the nightmare that was going to vanish soon. Of course, Al crawled closer, basically looming overtop of him, his knees straddling Shun’s thin thighs as he hugged his hysterical omega as tightly as he could. 

The fact that neither of them could breathe meant nothing in the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Shun really hasn’t spoken much since he’s come here.” Donato sat at the end of the bed, his kind blue eyes just passively watching the still entangled couple. “I, personally, would feel better if the both of you stayed until he starts speaking again.” 

“I can stay as long as it takes.” Alaric didn’t even flinch, his omega was leaned against his chest. Shun’s grasp on Al’s wrists had become the new normal. 

“That’s really respectable, Sir Harlow, but we both know you will be needed in work eventually.” Don shrugged, “I’m working on finding someone that will be able to help work with you, Shun. Hopefully you’ll feel like you’d be able to trust them enough to speak again.” 

“He can take his time.” Alaric didn’t fully understand why he was suddenly defencive. This stranger was trying to help. Then again, so was his father. 

“Don’t worry, Alpha.” Don sang as if he was dealing with a pouting toddler. “Everyone’s going to be alright, and if your reputation precedes you, if he had lost his legs I don’t doubt you would be working on some kind of bionic legs before you even get on the plane back to the states.” Alpha snapped his mouth shut, blinking dumbly at the now broadly smirking omega on the other side of the mattress. 

“Also I want Jo to teach you two a few ways of handling the symptoms of ptsd. Shun, I don’t want you to be all embarrassed about it, whatever you experienced would hurt anyone. We all know you’re strong enough to pull past this.” Don nervously glanced at the clock before standing and moving closer to the couple. His arms out for a hug as he announced he needed to get going. “Just call if you need anything, okay, Sugarplums?” His soothing voice purred, crushing both of them in a hug. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Where are you? You haven’t shown up to work in a week!_ The message greeted Alaric after he hadn’t looked at his phone in a few days longer than a week since he’s arrived. Of course, Father would only realize he’s missing- literally out of the country- after he doesn’t show up for work. Why else would the snob care for his son’s existence?

_We found Shun, I’m out of town in a rehabilitation center with him._ Alaric should have felt proud for answering at all, on top of which he stayed respectful. Within ten minutes he received a reply.

_STD or drugs?_ Alaric’s blood hit a flash point, but he managed to not flinch too badly as to wake his sleeping mate, whom was using his lap as a pillow.

_The people you hired gave him a severe case of PTSD. Congratulations, you’ve finally broken his spirit._ Alaric thought for sure that should be the end of the conversation. Whatever messages Father sends were going to be left, pointedly, ignored: until the phone started buzzing relentlessly with a call.

Alaric carefully slipped out from under his mate, laying his still sleepy head on one of the throw pillows before escaping to the attached bathroom. 

“I _never_ ordered anything like that.” his father’s voice was nearly drowned out by the sounds of the city around him.

“You’re the one who handed him over, don’t play innocent now!” Al’s voice cracked, his shift distorting his vocal cords.

“Look, Rickie.” Father tried. “They were just going to make sure that Shun wasn’t going to hurt you, take him for psych for a few months. And if you were still wrapped up with this ‘ _mate bond’_ I was going to consider bringing him back.”

“Now he needs years of _psych_ .” Alaric’s voice was losing it’s human quality by the second. “He can’t even conjure the energy to get up and take a drink of water, not to mention he hasn’t said more than four words in the past three weeks he’s been here. I just… I can not be dealing with you right now. Fuck you _Dad._ ”

Hanging up on Dad was so much easier than he thought it would be. If that was his concerns, he should have said something! Nothing about how he acted even hinted that he was willing to help. 

NOTHING.

Shun had woken during his absence. That painfully void expression still in his eyes, even as they disbelievingly slid over the alpha. The only sign that Shun was in the room with him at all was how desperately he reached out to hold hands. Al had so many things he wished he could say, but his love needed time before any of that. 

"I love you." Al summed up as he moved carefully to return serving as his nearly catatonic omega's pillow. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric's phone buzzed it's evening alarm. He lazily reached to silence it, feeling Shun's faux purr begin to start. Shun knew what was about to happen, but was trying to get out of it by convincing Alaric to forget. 

"Do you hate baths with me that much?" Al teased carefully, "Come on, it's literally the only thing on our schedule today." Al learned from Jo how to do this. The first few times was a bit awkward with the other alpha present, but now it would just be the two mates. 

"How about I get the water ready, and let you have a few more couch moments?" The pastel alpha grinned at his own idea, silently loving the little bit of Shun's stubbornness still able to show through.

It didn’t take long for Alaric to run the bath, convinced it would take nearly twice that to actually move Shun into the room. He hummed calmly as he approached his mate, their bond flickering with anxiety. He knew Shun was self conscious about his body. Shun had lost an unnerving amount of weight and on the crook of his lower abdomen was a brand that the demons had seared into his skin. “KS” forever imprinted in to his delicate flesh as a reminder. Alaric had every intention to find a way to have it removed when they returned to the states, Just for his mate’s sanity. Until then, he could only try to convince Shun that it didn’t bother him. None of this changed how he felt towards the omega. If nothing else, it made him worlds more protective of his shy, little mate. 

“It’s only me.” he started, tying his fading sea-foam green hair back. Shun didn’t make a sound, but he did push himself up. His balance was still horrible, but this was the first time he tried to sit up in what felt like forever. It was progress everyone was encouraged to see. 

“Wrap your arms around me,” Alaric directed, taking his omega in a hold resembling a hug more than anything else. He was able to take his omega’s weight fairly easily, carrying Shun more than helping him walk across the plush carpeted room. 

Alaric set Shun in the water first, carefully lingering close to the basin’s side until he was sure his omega wasn’t about to slip under. Only then did he slip his own shirt off. Despite his lithe frame, he still managed to have some muscle to show. Hopefully his omega wouldn’t be too disappointed. The two slotted against each other in the basin, Shun slightly more relaxed now that he was back in his alpha’s arms. Alaric nosed against the curve of his omega’s neck, and steeled himself to raise his touch to the base of his omega’s collar bone.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: I chickened out at the last second over what kind of condition Shun was going to be returned in. He's actually much better off right now and it feels like the story has more directions it could go. Which is ironic really- the very scene that spurred the creation of this entire story has just been cut out of the book. 
> 
> It's fine, believe me. Shun and Alaric are happy with the changes.


	7. Pants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas!
> 
> Long time no see, how are we all doing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He didn’t know how to move on. Alaric was a doting alpha, one any omega would dream to have, but he came with the luggage of his family. Father hated him, Father was the one that threw him back to the wolves and nearly had his life stripped from him for it. A demon saved him. Somehow, among the most corrupted creatures of the state- was one that wasn’t quite as evil as he seemed. 

Shun was cursed to become nothing more than a toy for the pleasure of the rich. On the way to the germ infested brothel they used as a hospital, the queen’s guard dog, her jackal, turned on her. He found himself scruffed unlike he had experienced before, and was thrown into a metallic dumpster. Shun thought for sure that it would have been the end of him. He never expected for the jackal to return, never thought that the prison guard that killed countless people would be the one to smuggle him out of hell. The next thing he knew, he was on a plane going to Italy. Far enough away that the queen wouldn’t be able to reach him.

Could he face Alaric’s father again? The bond with the alpha was singing strong with overwhelming encouragement. Shun was loved: there was no questioning that. Maybe Alaric would understand he was silent because he didn’t know what to say? He didn’t know how to approach any of this. 

The alpha’s scent was nice. His touch was always gentle. His voice consistently pulled him back from the nightmares. Alaric was a good guy, and he deserved so much better than a rejected toy. Even know Shun knew that as soon as he looked up, he would see Alaric’s concerned eyes studying him. Despite how the notion melted Shun into a hopeless romantic puddle of goop, he knew he wasn’t good enough to stay with such a person: bond or no bond. 

Alaric shifting slightly, pulling Shun closer against his breast as he absently read something on his phone. The two haven’t moved much in the past few days, shy of the handful of doctor’s visits. Alpha had been shockingly patient with Shun, murmuring his love and never straying farther than arm’s reach. It was honestly nice to pretend, just for a little while, that this could be their every day. Maybe this would have been what it’s like to have lived normally. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite Donato’s reassurances, Shun wasn’t seeming any better than day one. He wasn’t sleeping through the night, what little sleep he did get ended abruptly by him thrashing and crying. He never spoke, so Alaric didn’t know what his nightmares were plagued by. Whatever it was, he wished he could just make it stop, convince his mate’s mind that it was over with now. 

“Maybe you two should try going home for a month.” Don offered during one of his visits. Dark circles under his eyes told of how busy this omega truly was, but he never failed to have that smile gleaming across his face. 

“Try getting into a usual routine. Something sorta like how you two would be if nothing got in the way.” Don had sat himself on the foot of the bed, as usual. His knowing blue eyes studying the couple as his words sunk in. “I’m not kicking you guys out, if you’d feel safer being here, you are more than welcomed to stay. I’m just trying to think of what would help our little Cherry Pie over here.” 

“I do need to return to work soon.” Alaric groaned, “But I don’t want to rush Shun if he isn’t ready to leave yet.” 

“Shun, Pixiestick.” Don lowered his voice, “Are you okay with the idea of going home to see how things go?” Shun’s nerves were clear by how he clung closer to Alaric’s side. When neither of the other two moved away from the question, he reluctantly nodded his head. 

Shun only figured that this illusion of Alaric and him living happily needed to shatter eventually. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alaric’s main home was in a reclusive side of California. The place felt warmer and more lived in than his parent’s, partly because it being slightly smaller. The main foyer was a deep wood: chairs, coat racks, what may have been a bar at one point was strewn with random bits. The only thing was that it was notably freezing in the home. Someone must have turned the air conditioning to full blast and left it running for the entire duration he was overseas. 

“Shelly must be in heat again.” he commented with a chuckle. “Let me get you a robe, she’ll kill me if I try to touch the thermostat now.” with that the fading pastel alpha pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of Shun’s head and trotted up the staircase. 

“Al is that you?” a man yelled from the other room. A slightly disheveled alpha craned to look into the main foyer from one of the side doors. His dirty face paled with surprise as he fell backwards, the chair he was leaning lost footing and sent him to the wood floors with a clamor. Before he knew what he was doing, Shun had run over with his arms out to help the stranger up. The blond haired cluts was already on his feet, fumbling with righting his abused chair. 

“You must be Shun!” the alpha chuckled nervously, “Of course, I make an ass of myself the first time I have the honor of meeting you!” His smile was honest, despite his words, not a single ounce of self consciousness was in his eyes. He brushed off most of the dust from his clothes, quickly scrubbed his face with a palm- only smearing the dirt further- and held out a hand for Shun to take.

“Name’s Chester! I- um. I work outside mostly, so you’ll need to forgive my coal gremlin appearance.” he tipped his head curiously as he watched Shun’s skittish reaction. “Don’t mean to scare you.” Chester rushed, “I’m sure Al would vouch for me.” 

“You starting trouble already?” the said alpha teased. Shun twisted around, finding his Alaric standing with a fluffy neon pink robe in his hands. 

“Always.” Chester chirped. “Pretty sure you’ve already figured the arctic freeze-over was Shelly?” Shun thought for sure Al had just brought him one of the other omega’s robes, or maybe a guest robe: but it smelled strongly of Alaric. The rich fabric was worn in some of the joints, but it was the embodiment of heaven. Compared to the flimsy hospital clothes, or the… lack of clothing before that, Shun for the first time felt comfortable in what he as wearing. Alaric’s scent probably had a lot to do with it, however. 

Shun was bleary eyed and leaning on his alpha’s chest before he realized what he was doing. Al was so warm, that rolling growl he’s gotten good at conjuring sang like a lullaby to the omega. 

“Are you tired? It’s been a long day and I’m feeling the jet lag.” Al rumbled into the top of Shun’s head, his arms tightly around his mate. 

Moving upstairs and hiding away in Alaric’s room, Shun was ready for a lot of things. A mess, a hemorrhaging rainbow, bits of the latest tech strewn around like children’s toys: all average Alaric things. He didn’t expect a giant enclosure with a snake Shun was convinced could eat something the size of himself. 

“You’ve never met Pants have you?” Al sleepily smiled, “She’s a sweet girl if you want me to take her out?”

“No.” Shun rushed on broken vocal cords, his head shaking determinedly. The look of concern that crossed his alpha’s face was heartbreaking. The first thing Shun has said, and it was shooting down something Alaric was super passionate about. 

“Maybe later when you get used to ‘er?” his alpha tried. “She is a lot of snake for first timers. I’ve had her since he was just a spaghetti noodle, so I really know her.” Shun couldn’t help his apprehension towards the creature. The python was painted darkly with what seemed like war markings over her entire length. Her odd shaped head raised, her muscle thick body scoping up and her attention fixating on Al.

“I know baby girl, I missed you too.” he purred, a smile curling the corner of his lips. He instinctively placed a hand on the lock of her containment, thoughts clearly ticking back and forth in his mind. 

“She’s expecting me to take her out for a little, if you don’t mind. I’ll go into the work-space so she doesn’t bother you?” Al slightly begged, Shun shivered at the thought of that thing coming out of its containment. 

“O… okay.” the omega eventually puffed, slowly moving towards Alaric’s lavish bed. His alpha wasted no time before he clicked the lock open, placing the mechanism on the side table near her tank. His voice rolled purrs, his smile only broadening as Pants continued to scope while Alaric gathered the meatiest bits of her body into a hold. Shun almost screamed when Al lifted the python into the air, and hung the midsection of her body around the back of his neck. 

Al knew that this was unnerving his omega, so he didn’t even bother turning around before darting out the door of his bedroom. Pants, in all of her glory, draped over his shoulders, her tail wrapped securely around his bicep and her neck lazily curled around his wrist. She was used to being out with him. It would be cruel to leave her caged away when he hasn’t been home in nearly a month: Alaric’s sleep could wait and Shun’s anxiety would ease once he realized Pants is a gentle giant. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shun woke warm and trapped. Alaric was sound asleep, slack jawed, completely naked, and octopus-ing around Shun. It took a few moments for the omega to be able to wrap his mind around his situation at first. Then, slowly, the memories of that night in the dumpster, being brought to that center, them actually being able to find Alaric, and Alaric finding him worthy enough to bring him back home. 

Al doesn’t know the whole truth. His alpha would never want to accept him if he knew he was a pup killer. Not only has he killed an alpha in the past, now he’s carrying the weight of an unborn pup on his shoulders. The … fetus- as the doctors tried to console- belonged to that monster, and they were the only reason Shun was shown any mercy by that monster according to the Jackal guard himself. The likely hood of the little one surviving without harming Shun was horrifyingly slim. Besides, if there was a loving god, the little one would find their way back to him. Just… this time their father would be Alaric… 

Anything to ease the guilt. What had happened wasn’t his fault, so they kept saying. It wasn’t his fault that monsters existed nor that he was a victim to them. Even Alaric commonly whispered that it wasn’t Shun’s fault. The omega could see the guilt in Al’s eyes every time he glanced over. He knew the alpha blamed himself for the most recent handlers. If he were stronger, bigger, like how alphas were expected to be; he would have been able to protect his mate. It was a strange thought that in some parallel universe somewhere, none of this would have ever happened. Shun couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like. 

As selfish as it was, Alaric was here with him right now. His warm, sleep heavy body half draped over Shun’s curled frame, protecting them both from the arctic freeze over of one of his servant’s heat. Even Pants, out of the corner of Shun’s eye, was curled up under her heat lamp, as small of a ball as a five foot python could get, anyway. It was nice pretending the world didn’t exist for a while. Sleep was still difficult, but it came easier now that he was somewhere saturated with his alpha’s warmth and scent. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next he woke, both his alpha and that snake were gone. Shun was securely wrapped in all of the blankets on the bed. Almost to the point he started to question if he would be able to escape or not. There was no note or anything, that Shun could see anyway, but he figured that Al wouldn’t mind if he got up. Maybe even wander a little bit to see if he could find where his alpha was hiding. 

Shun pulled on Alaric’s fluorescent robe, and crept from the bed room while still trying to tame his bed messed hair. The upstairs hallway was a dark wood with an odd green wall. A couple doors lined formally to the left, while across the hall and slightly to the right was a wide open arch to a grand room… Library? Study? Shun slowly moved forward, afraid of being caught, so he could get a better view of the great room. It seemed to be part library, part museum. The far wall was lined with more books than one person could conceivably read. Closer to the center of the room were… android parts? Not that elaborate in a sense as they weren’t functioning… or they don’t look to be functioning, and some of their designs were comical. Shun could see that they had tried to resemble a person, but the faces were too plastic, bodies lacked the illusion of flexibility. 

They were set up as if they were treasured, each one clean and on it’s own pillow. The only model with a full body sat with its ankles crossed and its arms folded in its lap. Despite that, it’s back was rigid straight, and unseeing, empty eyes locked across the room. As unnerving as the piece was, progress has to start somewhere.

“You’re awake!” a familiar voice called, “Did bone head not give you the grant tour?” Chester bounced up the formal staircase, marginally cleaner than he was the night before. 

“Am I not supposed to-” Shun started cut off by Chester waving the comment away.

“Don’t worry ‘bout exploring, there isn’t a locked room in the entire place.” He tipped all of his weight onto one foot, audibly cracking his back before motioning down the hallway.

“If you’re looking for Al, he’s probably holed away in his work again.” 

Alaric looked every shade of mad. Pants draped over his shoulders, her head tucked just under the back tuft of his hair. He had since managed to find a pair of boxers since he had woken up. A torso with one leg and a disassembled arm laid on his work table: wires everywhere. Alaric himself was on all fours, grumbling to himself and searching the smooth white floor for  _ something _ . 

“Hector, I’m losing your screws!” he snorted, not realizing he had an audience quite yet. “Alright, you microscopic bit of fuck, where did you go?” Shun’s scent must have reached Alaric by the way the alpha turned around. Al smiled at first, then realized he was wearing easily fifty pounds of snake as a shaw. 

“Good morning?” he smiled nervously. “Want me to put her away?” 

“She… looks comfy.” Shun shrugged, still sneaking glances around Alaric’s messed workshop. Shockingly, not a single bit of debris was on the floor. 

“She’s asleep.” Al spoke as if it were obvious, his hand coming up to pet the fat loop of snake that coiled over his chest, his grip probably couldn’t encircle her girth if he wanted to. “Are you hungry?”

“Maybe you should have called her shirt.” Shun braved to smile, bracing for a retaliation. Alaric only laughed with his thoughts feeding into the idea. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast was served about half an hour later. The house workers gathered around the large main table with the couple, each one with their own plate. Chester was the only face Shun recognized, and there was an empty chair that Shun assumed belonged to Shelly. The crew was a mix of the dynamics, none of them giving the other any attitude. 

Shun sat next to his alpha, shyly pushing his eggs around his plate as he observed the makeshift family around him. No one asked him about his past, no one made a comment on how thin he was, nor how he couldn’t even look another omega in the eye. They just conversed with each other about the duties on the grounds, what kinds of things were going on in town, and who petitioned for what days off. 

It was nice to be part of a normal setting, for once. They were people who liked each other and treated each other with respect… Shun was starting to wonder if such a thing existed outside of the walls of a hospital. 

The family shared confused glances when a knock sounded from the front door. Shun’s heart jumped to his throat, Alaric defensively placed a hand on the back of Shun’s clenched fist.

“We’ll handle it.” a better built alpha stood from his seat, shadowed by a handful of others. Their footsteps were the only sound in the echoing house for an eternal moment. Their voices were softer than everyone was expecting. The stranger’s scent flooded into the home with the carrying wind. A powerful, well developed alpha had come to visit. Alaric seemed to be having flashes of the night Shun was taken. His shift was starting to surface, his hold on Shun’s arm started to hurt from the vice grip. It took a few moments: but one of Alaric’s workers returned with an odd look on his face.

“He says his name is Emmett Moore, and that he was sent by Donato in Saint Cabrini?” he sounded skeptical of the visitor’s story. Alaric stood, his shift on full display as he walked towards the front door. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> confession time: roughly 60% of the time I spend writing is with a lizard sleeping in my boobs. (Wiz and/or Pickles)


	8. Blush *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas!
> 
> I'm just gonna kindly point at the little * up there. Same rules apply as the other series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The stranger stepped into the dining room, a nervous smile on his scarred face, his blind eye fogged over giving the illusion of bicolored irises. The alpha was huge. Standing at least a head taller than the tallest one of Alaric’s workers, and dwarfing Alaric himself. 

“Hello, Shun.” he bowed his head slightly towards the shivering omega, “Just so everyone knows, I’m here as a security so we don’t have a repeat of what had happened. The… marking they left, we’ve seen before and we would just feel better if someone like me hung around for a bit.”

“We have a security of our own.” Chester challenged, staring down the much larger man. 

“All due respect, the one we’re worried about is even taller than myself, and you barely stand up to my chin.” Em frowned, giving Shun an apologetic glance. “With any luck, nothing will come of it, and we’ll part ways soon enough.” 

Shun lost his appetite, even Alaric looked a bit green around the gills where he stood in the main hall. Emmett excused himself, saying that he was just going to do a walk around the property. Al nodded stiffly, one of the yard help spoke up, offering to show Em around. All Shun wanted to do was go back to Alaric’s room, and pretend that everything was okay.

They had seen the brand before, and it warranted a security guard. The mark was nothing but molten scar tissue now. “KS” carved into the sensitive crook of his hips. The ghost of its arrival still conjured every so often, but it was most noticeable when Shun tried to sit. The stiff flesh being unable to bend with him any longer. Chester’s unreadable expression followed the two alphas out of the house, the blond balancing on one foot again. 

“While they do that, shall we go upstairs?” Alaric barely had the strength to whisper, Shun didn’t verbally answer, but he did grasp onto his alpha’s offered arm and followed him without hesitation. 

“I’m sorry I don’t have much for you to do.” Al pressed a kiss to Shun’s forehead when they were safely at the top of the stairs. “Just… really need to get some progress done on Hector.” Had his alpha always looked this pale?

“There’s books in the study, there’s a computer in the workshop if you want, um… Carol’s downstairs, she’s always got a story or two to tell to anyone that’s listening.” his alpha blushed slightly, frustration creasing his brow. “I’m really sorry, I’m so scatterbrained right now.”

“You can’t work like this.” the omega whimpered as he sunk further into his alpha’s chest. “Let’s go hide somewhere.” 

“Take a nap?” Al chuckled at the thought. “Maybe pretend to watch some tv?” Shun purred at the thought of snuggling up with Alaric. The sound was nearly hypnotic to Al’s stress riddled mine so he didn’t even pretend to resist the tug of his omega as they hid away in Alaric’s room once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The television played on low for the couple that knotted themselves into the bed sheets of Alaric’s giant nest. Shun was atop his alpha’s chest, his cheek pressed to Al’s shoulder and his nose tucked against his alpha’s rich, creamy scent. If Alaric was awake, he was hiding it well. The man hadn’t shifted except for the rhythmic rub of his palm against Shun’s side in the past hour. Perhaps he was just lost in thought, or maybe he had succumbed to the stress and just checked out for a while. Either way- Shun was glad that Al trusted him enough to have him at his side while he gathered himself. The omega bit back his own anxiety as he decided he was going to scent his alpha, lay a proper claim to the man he was destined to be with. After everything he’s put this alpha though, he owed him that much.

Shun arched up, sliding so that he was straddling his blearily confused alpha. Al just blinked up at him, his lips parted and his focus on Shun’s bicolored eyes. Shun crouched, supporting himself with his forearms on either side of Al’s head, their noses brushing against each other as the two silently agreed that this was okay. This was more than okay.

Al tipped his head first, wordlessly asking for a kiss. Shun lingered just out of range for a breath longer, studying the heady, hooded look of his alpha’s gaze. Their kiss lingered longer than either of them cared to acknowledge. Alaric laid peacefully under his omega, afraid of spooking the skittish affections away. Their bond was warm with mutual love, Shun’s weight light on Alaric’s waist, and their scents mingled together in their nest. 

It had been forever since Shun had been atop an alpha- his alpha, he mentally corrected. Alaric had stopped his impulsive touching once Shun started to move, waiting to see what his omega had in mind. He was rewarded with the enticing press of his omega sitting just so over his hips, the fruit like taste of the man’s shy kiss, and a perfect view of his beautiful man’s thin frame. 

Sure, Shun was tall for an omega, and a bit underweight; but when nerves were a forgotten factor, his omega was every ounce of grace and beauty that others wished to possess. Shun’s hair must have started to annoy him by the way he sat up, his hands weaving into the strands as to pull them back into a tail. He froze half way finished, eyes wide with surprise as he realized the outline against his rear was, in fact, his alpha’s plumpening member. Blush ate his cheeks while nervousness and apology distorted his expression as he gazed down at the softly smiling alpha. The look on Al’s face asked Shun what else he had expected, but he kept silent. 

“S-sorry.” the omega stuttered, lifting himself so that he was hovering over the alpha, ready to scurry off to the other side of the room. Al’s hands smoothed up his thighs to hold him in place. His fingertips dipping into the soft flesh of Shun’s legs as he made a sound in the back of his throat. 

“There’s no need.” Al remembered he had words, his touch reaching up to follow the line of Shun’s jaw. The omega flinched, scrunching his eyes shut as he clearly wrestled with the demons lurking in his mind. Alaric waited, replacing his hands on either of Shun’s thighs and not moving any further. 

It was only a few seconds, but it must have felt like an eternity for Shun. He reopened his eyes and grasped at Alaric’s fingers. 

“I’m sorry. I know its you. I just-” he started trying to explain himself, guilt searing from his side of the bond.

“I don’t blame you at all.” Alaric hushed, “I know. Just look at me, okay?” Alpha palmed Shun through his boxers, the warmth of the flesh piercing the thin fabric easily. Shun both blushed deeper and lost color at the same time, bringing a playful smirk to Alaric’s face. Shun’s reactive stuttering was hushed in a deeper tone, Alaric pressing his other hand’s thumb into the meat of Shun’s thigh.

“Stay on top of me. Just keep looking at me, okay?” Al’s voice wasn’t a command, he didn’t mean for it to be a command. Shun shivered where he was perched, trying to behave. 

“Is this okay?” Al let his thumb run along the outline of his love’s member. “I just really want to see you let go.” Shun covered his face, a torn whimper muffled behind his palms. 

“Keep looking at me. It’s me with you.” the alpha pressed all the encouragement he could through the bond. His smile was gentle when Shun braved to peak between his fingers, Alaric paused his agonizingly slow and teasing touch to wait for Shun’s acknowledgement. Shun dragged a steadying breath, meeting the other’s gaze with worry still in his expression. Even then, he jerkingly nodded just before reburying his face in his palms. 

Alaric’s touch was gentle, just tracing the outline of his mate’s body. The member was hot through the fabric, almost as if he was starting a fever. Shun was only able to put up with his teasing for so long before his body started to take over for him. Shun’s back arched into his alpha’s touch. His voice hitched before he could catch it by biting down on his lower lip. Shun’s shyness mocked him from the back of his mind, but he was too wrapped up in the sensation of a kind touch. 

The omega was panting when Alaric carefully fished him from his boxers. Shun wanted to recoil into himself, embarrassed by the organ that has been mocked many times before. His alpha pulled his hand back, afraid that he had hurt Shun.

“Are you okay?” he rushed, pushing himself up onto his forearms. “Did I hurt you, scare you?” 

“I’m sorry.” Shun shook his head as he tried to pull himself together, “I wish I was better for you.”

“What are you talking about?” Alaric cupped his omega’s chin, frantically trying to find focus in Shun’s eyes. The trembling man tried to force an encouraging smile, Shun’s hair falling back over his face. 

“Hopefully I’m acceptable.” the look on Shun’s face was heartbreaking, Alaric couldn’t help himself as he reached up to kiss his omega. Their hips pressed against each other and Alaric’s arms embraced his mate as tightly as he could. 

“You are more than perfect.” Al growled as he ignored the temptation to set his teeth into the bare crook of his omega’s neck. “More than perfect, and mine.” 

“But its so small-” Shun squeaked, tears blurred his vision as he braced for the hurtful words that normally ensued. 

“Is _that_ what this is about?” Alaric snorted disbelievingly. “There are a thousand ways I want to show you, to worship you for you to see you’ve got nothing wrong with you.” His love shook in his hold. Shun’s face was buried in Alaric’s shoulder to hide the blush that was consuming him. Despite his efforts, his ears were staining the crimson red. 

Without another word, Alaric pressed Shun back on the bed. He settled himself between his omega’s knees and licked a thick strip over Shun’s nerve- softening member. The omega yelped in surprise, his fingers instantly entangling in Alaric’s hair. 

“Let me see you unwind, my omega.” Alaric’s voice managed to turn into sin. His growl vibrated around Shun’s member and dropped the omega into a panting, pathetic mess. His mind blanked, overwritten by Al’s attention. The way Shun couldn’t quite tell where or what Alaric was doing, but Shun was rendered to broken gasps as he begged for Alpha to not stop. This could be horrendously embarrassing in any other moment of Shun's past, but he was fighting against that feeling. He didn’t want care about how he looked. He’s never been cared for like this, in the way he’s not worried if the other is going to hurry up and finish soon: get it over with as quickly as possible. His muscles tensed, arching his back and squeezing his waist into a corset shape. Too much- the sensation was too much for him to handle, barely grounded in reality and starting to float on the high of pending orgasm. His moans were louder than he would have ever allowed. Alaric continued to hum and chuckle along, loving every song his omega let him have. 

Shun shook violently, vision blanking white as he tipped over the edge. Uncaring who might have been in ear shot, not caring he would be making a mess of his alpha- of their nest. Shun was too busy shuddering with fingers and toes dug into the sheets. His head tossed back and his spine arch nearing painful. No one had ever done that to him. No one had ever shown him why sex was known to be just that addicting. 

The omega understood now, he understood very thoroughly. Alaric let him ride out his orgasm before letting the abused organ drop listlessly onto Shun’s hip. A moment of concern tried to spark, but Shun was too tired to care. 

“Beautiful.” Alaric commented, pressing a funny tasting kiss to Shun’s lips. 

“I’ll clean up, I’m… let me catch my breath?” the chuckle Shun’s words earned brought up the dread that was lurking at the back of his mind.

“I think I did a pretty good job.” Alaric bragged, he had the nerve to brag!

“You… _you_.” Shun breathlessly accused. He wanted nothing more than to disappear, dissolve into sea-foam and melt into the nest, never to be seen again. His alpha just swallowed. Every drop Shun offered, Alaric took, cleaning him up and protecting the nest. 

“You didn’t need to, that’s… that’s…” he lost his thoughts half way through because the brat of the year dipped his head and nibbled at one of Shun’s exposed nipples.

“I should be thanking you. Hopefully you enjoyed it? You were sure acting like you were.” he was being an ass again! If this was the Alaric he had to put up with after sex, every time, Shun had half a mind of cutting him off promptly and permanently… but… it was kind’a fun.

If this was the worst of Alaric’s mocking: Shun would easily be able to take it.

“I only wanted to scent you.” Shun grumbled. The playfulness fell from Al’s face.

“Are you okay? Did I just... Fuck, I’m so sorry.” his alpha scooched back, giving the other space. “You can tell me no, I promise… Fuck.” Alaric’s scent spiked with fear, his eyes glazed over quickly with tears.

“I’m okay. It wasn’t… It just wasn’t my intention.” Shun grasped for ways to explain. Granted, with the method Shun was using, he can’t even blame Alaric for thinking he wanted more. Shun isn’t even complaining about it.

“Shun, Sweet heart. You can and should tell me no.” Alaric pulled at a few strands of his messy hair, his legs ready to give from under him. 

“I’m glad I didn’t.” Shun swallowed his embarrassment. Yes, what he did, what he had opened himself for made him extremely vulnerable: but Alaric was just as exposed. He was just as weak to mockery as the omega. If Shun had snorted, “that’s it?” or, “Is that all you can do?” it would have defeated the alpha’s ego. Even now, Alaric’s sanity was in the palm of his hands, all he needed to say was that he didn’t consent to Alaric’s behavior: too afraid to say no.

“It’s okay, Al. I… I liked it.” his voice squeaked half way through, burning his face with another relentless round of blush. Alaric needed to hear it, because it was the truth. It didn’t make it any easier to admit. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone knew what they did. 

No one said anything, but in Shun’s mind they all knew. Chester greeted the couple the same way he always had, but the glint in his eye that Shun swears was there screamed that he knew, and he was judging. Obviously, Shun was a walking cherry at this point. 

Alaric announced that he was going to work on his thing for a while. Chester offered to show Shun around, or at least keep the omega entertained while the head of the house worked. A maid with braided rainbow streaked hair chuckled at the idea. 

“What? You gon’ go show him all the differin’ types of weeds?” her smile was lopsided, and there was a tone of light tease in her voice. 

“There are no weeds in my garden!” Chester puffed out his chest, his pout deep set in his expression. 

“Right, you do have that vine thing that’s ‘parently apple’s tree.” she shrugged with a smirk blooming. Shun was worried that Chester’s pout would forever be frozen to his face if he kept himself that way for much longer. His furrowed brow only darkened the shadows over his eyes from his half shift. 

“Why you’re such a sass, I’ll never understand.” he waved more like a flightless bird than anything else. 

“Stay wit’ me Babes. I’d learn you how to not put up with alpha’s shite.” she jabbed a thumb towards Chester, her genuinely kind eyes meeting Shun’s. 

Carol was just as advertised, full of stories and folklore of the towns around them. Shun propped himself on one of the kitchen stools as she expertly polished the room around her.

“Never let that boy drive out on foggy nights’. that boy is stupid ‘nuff to do it.” She popped up from behind a counter more like a meerkat than anything else. 

“Miss in Lace’ll have him up in strings before he knows what’s even comin’.” Shun blinked at her warning. His surprisingly raspy voice questioning what she was talking about.

“That ol’ lass. She’s still haunting around the streets down by the wading beach. Fogged night seem to be her preference, but I trust none that fun’ business.” 

It took Shun a moment before he realized this was a ghost story. He hadn’t heard one in so long he forgot that they even existed. Folk tales used to keep pups in line, or to make campers uneasy at night. It was clear that she believed every word she was saying about each tale and ghost she spoke of. Shun sat with a small smile, enjoying them for what they were. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	9. Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Ninjas! 
> 
> I have a semi-proper update for everyone today ~<3

Alaric didn’t spend much time outside of his workshop. The android he had poured so much time into must have been starting to look like a fully fledged piece of science fiction due to his efforts. By the end of the week, Shun and Emmett had grown familiar with each other. Em was a remarkably easygoing person, always eager to laugh or lend a hand whenever he had the chance. Shun made himself busy when he could. Most the time he shadowed Carol around with every intent to help her, but always ended up in the way. Chester was proving to be a force to be reckoned with. The dirty blond alpha was the loudest of the house staff, and the heaviest foot. He and Carol always bickered. Only a handful of times did Chester try to pick at Emmett, but that never got very far. 

Currently, Shun was sitting in the quiet library that has been lovingly called the museum by staff. Chester and one of the maids were downstairs, having a lighthearted argument. The bond in Shun’s chest told him that his alpha was in his workshop, excitement flooding his veins. It was easy to be happy with Alaric’s optimism constantly around. That’s what Shun kept trying to convince himself, at least. He came so close to losing his legs, an unborn pup was the only reason he was able to keep his limbs. Yet he aborted the pup as soon as it was possible. 

Doctors told him that he was allowed to forgive himself, he was allowed to choose the father of his pup. The pup was barely four weeks into term, and a high risk of being a miscarrage due to the stress anyway. He had done what was needed to mitigate the damage to his system. He killed a pup.

Could Alaric accept another alpha’s pup? He had a hard enough time with Alaric senior, there was no reason for him to ruin his relationship with his fated alpha too. 

Alaric didn’t notice when Em walked into the room. The large, muscular man stood in the light of a bay window. The soft expression on his face revealed that he enjoyed the view of Alaric’s land, but also shown that he knew that Shun’s thoughts were spiraling out of control once again. 

“I can go get Alaric for you.” Em’s dark voice curled in concern, his gaze stayed diverted out the window. Shun appreciated the gesture of faux privacy as he feverishly pawed the tears away. 

“I don’t think he knows about this.” Shun spoke shakily. “Don’t know how he’d take it.” 

“No one likes to see a good soul in pain, much less a loved one.” the guard glanced over, the blind eye shining in the afternoon’s sun. 

“Al’s having second thoughts about this... Why else would he hole up for all hours of the day?” the omega’s mouth snapped shut as soon as the words left his mouth. Regret quickly spiked and tears welled in his eyes once again. He wasn’t worthy for Alaric- and the alpha was finally starting to see that.

“He also took a month off of work.” the other consoled, “Everytime I see him, he’s singing your praises. Give him a chance to catch up with things on the back end.” Shun’s throat felt dry and his head too compact and aching. Thankful for the chair beneath him, Shun leaned his head back against the rest and closed his eyes. Emmett’s rhythmic steps paced away and out of the room, presumably to do another perimeter walk.

Emmett always sounded like he knew what he was talking about, maybe he was right about this too. Perhaps Shun would be able to come clean about what he had done one day. Alaric always seemed to be careful when it came to the subject of his disappearance. Afraid of opening wounds that were too fresh to be stifled. Shun was lucky in that way- if Alaric had been a possessive, jealous type of alpha, Shun would have been tossed to the side by now. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner held it’s usual bantering, except Alaric was pointedly missing. Chester and Carol were at it again, the two arguing over something mundane as if they were a married couple. The three other faces that regularly came to the table were familiar now, but Shun couldn’t remember their names. Em always politely declined dinner choosing instead to stalk around outside. The strong scent of shift wafted from him every time he came back into the foyer, its musk and nightshade like scent of it permeated the house quickly. The absolute power of it caused the residents to wonder what kind of alpha Em actually was. 

Shun shyly pushed his food around his plate, unable to take his mind off of the empty setting next to his. He caught the younger woman to his left watching him, just as quickly they both diverted their gaze and blush bloomed on their cheeks. 

“If you wanted to bring up a plate you can.” She offered to Shun’s unspoken worry. The omega fiddled with his hands, unsure if he should really be interrupting Al’s work.

“He’s probably lost track of time again.” Chester waved, “I went up there, but there was no answer.” 

“If you think… Didn’t want to…” Shun stuttered, his speech only getting worse as he watched Carol pile food onto Alaric’s unused plate.

“Go on.” she drawled, “Before I send you up with a second helpin’.”

Shun stood obediently with the plate in shaking hands. The others chattered and rambled over each other as a way to encourage him to go up stairs. Unwarranted fear spiked in his chest as he shuffled his feet down the hallway. Al was to be his husband, bringing his love dinner shouldn’t be something that brings out this much anxiety. Except he hadn’t seen much of Alaric at all. The first few nights they had slept together. Then Al started coming to bed late enough to call it morning, until last night where he didn’t come into the room at all. 

Hesitating at the door, Shun could smell Alaric from the hallway. The alpha had spent so much time in this part of the house that his royalty like scent had saturated the air. Shun’s shy knock was left unnoticed. Sucking a steadying breath and praying that Alaric would make some kind of noise of acknowledgement, Shun waited for a few moments before trying to knock again. 

He still mentally berated himself during this, but the handle turned willingly under Shun’s palm. Alaric was worryingly quiet in here, they would eventually need to check on him. If he was going to be angry at an intruder- it may as well have been Shun. The omega quickly began to plead for forgiveness and a chance to explain why he was there before he had even lifted his eyes to the room. Alaric was slumped onto the workbench. A nearly complete android sat up in a nearby chair, its face plate hanging slightly forward with a board exposed. His alpha was oblivious to the world, sound asleep among his work as the squat vacuum robot bumped around the relatively few obstacles of the white tile. 

He must be overworking himself, hopefully this wasn’t the chosen excuse to be away from Shun. He slowly placed the plate down on a relatively clear portion of the workbench. Lingering close to his mate, Shun could see that Alaric had fallen asleep atop a circuit board. The welding tool he had been using either shut off automatically, or had run out of battery some time earlier.  Who knew how long Alaric had been sleeping, or when he would wake on his own. Then Shun thought he should try waking Alaric. Then again, if he was tired enough to fall asleep like this- he probably needed the rest. His food would go bad if it was left out like this for too long, and Carol would kill Shun if he returned with a full plate. 

“A-al?” he stuttered, softly laying a hand on the alpha’s shoulder. The teal haired mad man grumbled in his sleep before even feigning to wake up. His brilliant gold irises caught in the steril light as he cracked his eyes open. Confusion crossed his drool glazed expression, before he realized it was Shun standing at his side. Unceremoniously, he wiped at his mouth as he twisted around to find the time.

“W-what?” Al began, “Oh. Dinner?...” Alaric stretched his shoulders, cracking nearly every vertebrae of his back while doing so. Then a thought struck him.

“What day is it?” 

“F… friday?” Shun sheepishly muttered, “the others insisted that I bring this up for you.” Alaric yawned exaggeratedly, noticing the food only after Shun had pointed it out. 

“You aren’t mad at me, are you?” Alaric chimed right before he stuffed a forkfull into his mouth. The omega chewed his lower lip, willing himself to shrink away, or become invisible- whichever happens first. Alaric blissfully ate his meal, commenting on how he had forgotten how glorious food was, and that he wasn’t too sure how long ago it was he had last eaten. He really did get sucked into his work. 

“If you’re having second thoughts.” Shun started, leaving the statement open. The alpha nearly choked on a bite, his glimmering eyes quickly overtaken by ruby.

“About what?” he urged, turning to face Shun completely.

“Us. All of this?” the omega fought back tears, although it was a losing battle. Alaric abandoned his fork, letting it fall to the floor as he took Shun’s wrists in holds, keeping him so that they could look each other in the eye. 

“I love you.” Alaric promised in a predatory growl, the alpha command in his tone sent chills over Shun’s body. “I’m sorry for whatever I’ve done to make you question that.” When Shun didn’t answer, Alaric pulled the man closer. Their chests touching as the omega found himself wrapped in an embrace.

“How about we go out this weekend? Tomorrow we’ll get on the jet and spend the night elsewhere.” the alpha smiled brightly at the idea. 

“Elsewhere?” Shun echoed guiltily.

“Anywhere. Have you ever seen Rome? I think we should go to rome tomorrow- maybe tonight depending on the flights available.” Alaric clearly turned a couple thoughts over in his head before scrambling across the disorganized workbench in search of his phone. 

“We should be packing tonight actually- the flight is thirteen hours.” He quickly paced back towards the cramped shelving, still scanning for his lost little cellphone. The omega stood with moon sized eyes, his voice stuttered a few syllables but nothing would come out despite how hard he tried. 

Rome? Tonight?

“Come on, I’ll just see if there’s a pilot for us.” Alaric announced swiftly trotting towards the exit of the workshop, “We can sleep on the plane!” his voice called back over his shoulder as he disappeared down the hallway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As a bodyguard, are you coming with?” Al questioned Emmett as the three trotted down the airport’s hall. 

“Considering you two are going out of country that is known to be outside of their territory- you two should be alright.” Em mused, his dark eye scanning everyone in their vicinity. 

“But-” Alaric prompted, rolling his eyes when Emmett didn’t finish the sentence. “You would feel better if you came along.” Silence continued to stretch. Shun recognized that look on the guard’s face. The mild kind of childish amusement behind his aggressive, disinterested facade. 

“Just get on the plane.” Alaric squeaked as he thrusted one of the carry-ons into the taller alpha’s arms. Shun stifled the grin that threatened to curl on his face as his alpha’s childish temper flared. 

The plane was fairly small, yet lavish, not unlike the one Alaric’s mother had called for them on their first trip. Al deposited his luggage on one side of the wall, then promptly plopped onto the couch. Shun shyly crept forward, nodding toward the stewardess on a bench towards the right hand of the craft. 

“Going to be a long flight,” the pilot sighed, “Should be there early in the morning, maybe some time around eight?” the alpha looked over his younger employer before greeting Emmett with a quiet nod of his head. “I assume we’re all set?” 

“As ready as we’ll ever be.” Emmett muttered, bringing a light chuckle out of the pilot. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shun was woken by the stewardess the next morning. She had been trying to rouse Alaric, but Shun had been the first to notice her. His alpha’s arms were entangled around him considering how the both of them had wedged themselves onto the couch. Em was also sound asleep on the other side of the plane. Slumped back against the wall, sitting up on a simple bench. There were other, more comfortable places to rest, but it didn’t really surprise Shun to see him there. 

The omega sat up, unintentionally causing one of Alaric’s hands to drop onto his own face. It worked in waking the sleeping alpha, however. He grumbled as he too sat up. His teal hair stood at every odd angle, and drool had dried to the corner of his mouth. Blinking his bleary eyes, it slowly returned to him that they had traveled to a different country over night. 

“Coffee.” was his only grunt, spoken through a yawn. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three arrived at their hotel, fully stocked with freshly brewed coffee. Alaric began the task of making himself presentable- which included a desperately needed shower once he had downed his second cup of black caffeine elixir. 

Shun couldn’t bring himself to leave the room’s deck. The view was absolutely breathtaking with the quaint brick architecture. In the distance stood a proud church that existed long before Italy, and realistically would continue standing long after. People were starting to fill the streets below- scents of cooking wafted up from simple markets. Shun was in love, never wanting this moment to end. 

His mind was drifting to nowhere in particular when Alaric finally emerged outside. He looked remarkably more put together now. His more feral, unkempt state he had accomplished in the workshop nearly forgotten after the hot shower. A warm rumble in his chest vibrated against Shun’s back when Al came up behind him. 

“Hopefully it’s all to your liking?” the alpha purred lovingly as he nosed against Shun’s shoulder. 

“It’s beautiful.” the omega hummed. 

“I’m sorry for making you question. I just wanted to get caught up, lost track of time… as I do, I suppose.” Al hugged tighter, and let a kiss nibble at the base of Shun’s neck. 

“Is this your apology?” the omega teased. He wasn’t surprised by the affirmative hum followed by another string of kisses. 

“Tomorrow night we’ll head back into state. Until then, it’s just us.” He raised a hand to Shun’s jaw, tipping his head just right so the alpha could teasingly place a small mark just under his ear. 

Alaric procured a fine floor length dress for Shun to wear when the two of them finally made their way back into the room. His alpha smiled encouragingly, holding the smooth silk up for his omega’s assessment. Fluttering birds graced the weaving. The cream and blue patterning wasn’t gaudy, but it was just on the edge of being too much.

“Omegas of both genders wear dresses here, and I thought this would look amazing on you.” He explained quickly, closing the distance between them to hold it up to Shun’s shoulders. “Hopefully it fits.” The omega blinked his confusion, blush blooming at his nose before spreading up to his ears. Shun wasn’t a stranger to dresses, but he’s never worn one that was so high quality, nor one so conservatively covering. 

“Do you not like it? I was planning on shopping today with you, in between everything-” Al rambled, insecurity had an odd look on the normally proud alpha. 

“It’s beautiful.” Shun reassured, he didn’t know if it was a lie or not, however. He would have to try it on first. The lightness of it surprised him as he took the hanger from Al. He quickly excused himself, nearly running to the bathroom before he lost his courage. 

Shun barely recognized himself when he stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirror of the room’s shower. He had filled out in the vaguely short period of being out of the harem. His cheeks were warm and pink compared to the sunken hollows he recalled. Sun had since kissed his skin, although he was pretty sure only he, himself, could notice the dusting of a tan. Even his bicoloured eyes held more of a gleam in them compared to before. 

The dress fell over his skin in lavish billows. It revealed his arms and shoulders, the elastic holding itself up just a breath beneath his clavicles. He was surprised how natural it looked on him. His slender frame lent itself to something more feminine than he had realized, not to mention he never truly realized how long his legs actually were. Shun knew he could look Alaric in the eye, and he worried that he wasn’t going to be ‘omega’ enough for the fluorescent alpha. The worry didn’t cross his mind now. His long hair fell like silk beyond his shoulders, and his bi-coloured eyes had a gentle slant to them instead of being hollowly sunken into his skull. Shun couldn’t believe that this was actually him. Hopefully Alaric liked the difference too, he didn’t want to need to go back to that unhealthy weight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you for your continued curiosities!
> 
> Rage is for the comments~


	10. Vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally found some motivation laying around during this quarantine. Hopefully everyone's staying safe, healthy, or kicking the virus' ass. 
> 
> Not the greatest update I've done, but it's down and I'm counting this as a victory.

He could have been a russian heart-throb in another life- tall, blond, piercing cyan eyes, but the alpha was emotionless as he went about his daily chores. Shun wasn’t the only omega by far- nearly twenty in just this hallway that their handler tended to, and this was only one of the devil knows how many halls. Everyone was silent, afraid to stick out so that the handler would just go about business and leave. If someone made too much noise- Alpha would see to it that they were shut up. 

Shun didn’t want to keep track of how many of them didn’t come back. 

The grate under Shun’s feet felt familiar. They were all stuck in a crouching position, stacked in grated cages, one above the other since interaction between the omegas didn’t seem to be a concern for the alpha. 

If they were lucky, nothing would come of the Handler’s presence. He would hose them off, drop their rations through the feeding slot of the cages, and move on. Other times, when he had spare time in his routine, he would pick an omega at random, and breed them out in the open- for the world to see. It became a normal thing, and was frankly the only physical interaction any of them got, so it was at the point that they just stopped struggling. 

For being a bulky, emotionless handler, his touches seemed uncharacteristically gentle. Or would that be the touch-starved minds convincing them otherwise?

Alpha knew he was pregnant by scent. Shun had always assumed that the pregnant ones were killed, so when the handler unlatched the lock, he didn’t let himself think too hard about the backlash of thrusting his broken claws into the soft flesh of the handler’s face. 

He couldn’t think too hard on it.

His heart would be in his throat, his cries would be loud enough to call other handlers in after him, and it would be an acknowledgement that he was about to die. Instead he stayed as calm as he possible could with blood dripping off his arms. Resolve snapped when teeth found his scruff. The scream echoed in his head long after his body fell limp. His will to move gave the ghostly sensation of struggling despite the fact his arms are now nothing but noodles at his sides. 

Hands were on him, manhandling him, pressing down and restraining even his will to struggle. Shun's screech pierced his own ears, but he knew that not a sound of it was projecting. Scruffed, afraid to open his eyes- knowing that the Handler was dragging him away. 

His lungs filled with air stained by his own panicked scent. Voices chanted around him, two in particular. Was he being handed off to the butcher? Is that how that handler covered up his tracks from getting omegas pregnant? 

“Come back to us.” the tone was too sweet to be anyone that lurked in that forsaken fortress. 

“Just hold him like this.” that one was deeper, his words were followed by a warm, heavy hand coming up and cradling the back of Shun’s head. The scent around him shifted into something that belonged in a bottle. Royalty, or high class, no one that would waste their time with someone of Shun’s calliper. 

Regardless it had begun to soothe him. The slower his breaths came the easier it was to feel the bed beneath him. Arms were draped protectively around his frame, and his cheek was pressed against someone’s shoulder.

Right, he had been brought home… back to Alaric. 

Gods, he must have been causing a scene- the shame of being such a disturbance nearly dragged him under into a drop, but Al’s gentle words kept whispering into his ear. He didn’t sound angry, or annoyed, just… worried. 

“There you are.” he smiled despite the tears running down his cheeks. A sigh rumbled from behind Shun, Emmett had stood from his crouched position by the bed. 

“Don’t try to get up for a bit, alright?” the guard warned, his hand resting on Shun’s shoulder, “I know the scent of a drop- if you can stay still and calm, you should be able to avoid it.”

All of this head and heart ache because of him: what right did he have to put such a highly acclaimed alpha through this? Perhaps this bonding thing was wrong. Maybe Al just pitied him? Shun can’t even sleep through a night without causing a scene!

“That’s not staying calm-” Em’s voice rumbled in a darker warning. “Come’on Shun. You’re better than this.” 

“How dare you speak to him like that!” Alaric god near hissed like an omega, his arms protectively tightened around Shun.

They were in Greece, Shun’s memory sluggishly came back. Last night they were on a plane, during the day they wandered the nearby bazaar, and he had tried his first gyro- it was heaven in a sandwich. Alaric had bought him clothes. He was given the first well fitted dress he’d ever worn…

It had been a long time since he felt truly attractive in the clothes he had been given. 

Emmett trailed behind, carrying the found treasures while trying to not get lost in the crowd as Alaric childishly bounced between each stall with an arm proudly around Shun’s waist. 

Tomorrow, things were planned. They were going to go places, see things that Shun never thought he would ever have the honor of being able to experience. This vacation was a break from reality- Shun hoped he wouldn’t ruin more of it. 

Just one day, he mentally pleaded. He wanted to be normal for one day. 

____________________

“You’re the perfect candidate to be genderless, you know that?” Alaric commented as he sat on the counter of the bathroom: his long legs crossed, his nose just centimeters from the mirror as he painted a dark liner on his eyelid. 

“We could really confuse the masses.” the alpha smiled, looking towards his omega in the mirror. Shun stood a few feet to the side, his hands smoothing over the light fabric of a new outfit- one they picked out together the day before. 

“Sorry about last night-” Shun started, but he was quickly cut off by Alaric dismissing the notion. The omega stood silently since he had nothing else to say, choosing to chew his lower lip. 

“Come sit here, I want to do your makeup.” Alaric patted the counter next to him with a manicured hand. 

“I’ve only seen you dolled up once- when we first met.” the pastel alpha explained as he cheekily smiled at the blush darkening all the way up to Shun’s ears. 

____________________

They were lucky enough for the weather to be perfect outside. People bustled around them- much to the dismay of Emmett. The towering man made every effort to keep up with the ever energetic Alaric, without running over any oblivious citizens. Shun clutched to Al’s arm, smiling apologetically as they weaved through the crowd. They had a scheduled tour of the colosseum, and, of course, they were running late. 

Al smiled at the waiting guide, slowing his pace- mercifully- for Em and Shun to catch up with him. Emmett stood at the gaping stone mouth entrance to the halls. They were to see the inside, the whole layout of the Colosseum. Their guard stood in awe. 

“Everything alright there, Bud?” Alaric prompted, noticing that their third wheel hadn’t moved from the entrance. 

“Didn’t realize I’d ever actually be here.” Emmett spoke with a tone of reverence. A heartbroken smile curled the half of his face that wasn’t scarred, the dim lighting of the entrance accenting the ghostly fog over his left, blind eye. Shun tucked closer under Alaric’s arm, his alpha’s arm tightening around him warmly. 

The halls were artificially lit to allow the patrons to see where they were going. Crumbling stone walls arched over them dauntingly as if the ghosts from the past were judgmentally gawking down at them. Chasm after chasm, the rooms that fighters were kept in were kept starkly darker than the halls. A couple of the locked cells had manikins of hunched over, beastly alpha sitting on the low cots they would have been given. 

Shun stood in front of a cell, his throat closing as he remembered how it felt to be contained in one, just a bit smaller than this. Granted, he was a much smaller man than who would have been in here. Alaric unintentionally spooked him by coming up behind while the guide continued her speal. Al’s arms wrapped around Shun’s thin waist. The two of them scenting the other for a long moment.

“It’ll be easier once we get outside? I’m sorry, didn’t seem to think this one through.” Shun’s alpha muttered into his ear. His voice was hushed but sincere. 

The both of them turned away from the cell, just in time to see Em regarding claw marks on the ancient stone wall. Pale marks, stark against the clay beige wall, all the more apparent when he laid his dark toned hand against it. 

“The alpha’s that fought were more than we are used to seeing, partially how they ended up being such spectacles.” the guide offered, smiling anxiously as she seemed to be able to see the gears turning in Em’s head.

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” he grunted, his voice losing the honed smoothness of it for the first time since any of them have heard him speak. 

The floor of the arena was compact sand. Scars carved into the walls from fights in the past. Row and rows of seating circled them high over their heads. Shun could practically hear the chanting of the spectator despite there only being a handful of tourists gawking about. Alaric beamed with a showman’s smile, the aura of the place racing to his head. Emmett just stood with his eyes closed, basking in the warmth of the sun beating down on them. He seemed to be listening to the ghosts that lingered there- ones that fought and died in this space. Shun didn’t like the feeling. He was the kind that would be used as bait in such a venue. A plaything, someone accused of murder would be thrown in here to be used as spectator’s entertainment. 

Alaric was the emperor, Emmett the gladiator, Shun the martyr. 

Shun’s alpha turned on a heel, kicking up dust as he did. His brilliant golden eyes sparkled as they landed on Shun. His arms opened in a gesture for a hug and his voice boomed with confidence. 

“Imagine this place full!” Alaric couldn’t seem to stop grinning, “All the energy- all the enthusiasm.” 

“Yeah…” Shun squeaked, the same thought brought out a very different reaction within him than it did his alpha. 

“May I,” Em started, his attention turning to the guide, “Just as a way to honor them- my ancestors- mind if I shifted for a moment?” he looked genuinely concerned that she would say no, but the look on her face wasn’t nearly as surprised as he was expecting. 

“Of course, you’re not the first to ask.” her nerves were well hid behind her smile, and she motions for the other two to follow her back out to the entrance of the arena.

“That won’t be necessary,” Emmett shrugged off his jacket before plucking at the buttons on his shirt. His shoulders gained mass before their eyes. His chocolate eye grew darker, the rich obsidian abyss spreading over the sclera of his eye despite his other being a pale blue fog. Em’s chest rounded like a barrel, his hunched over stance dragged his elongated claws over dry sand. 

His shift was so much more than what Alaric was expecting, and more than what Shun was prepared for. The omega’s breath caught, his vision tunneling on the shifted guard. Alaric, thankfully, pulled the stumbling omega against his chest. 

Em stretched his arching spine, a growl resonated within his beastly throat and echoed in the stone structure. The tourists had silenced in the stands, the occasional flash of a camera broke their spellbound trance on the ancient creature. Other than the growl, that Alaric has reasoned was actually his breathing, Em was remarkably passive. He tilted his head up to the sun, soaking in the warmth of it. With no effort at all, he lifted his hand to one of the claw marks on the wall, easily resting each claw within each respective mark. The tour guide released a held breath, this time smiling honestly. 

“Did we wish to continue?” she chimed after Emmett had reigned in his shift. Emmett shrugged and motioned towards Alaric and Shun, his current charges. Al nodded enthusiastically, childish as ever. 

____________________

The next place on the agenda was a museum. Alaric had rattled off the name, but Shun couldn’t focus on both not tripping over his own feet and what his alpha was chattering on about. The white marble pillars came into view, great silk tapestries hanging in between told of the pantheon that once ruled over this land. Ares stood out to Shun, purely because of his great red helm and the fire that sprawled on the fabric behind his portrait. Anger, war, alpha: he was definitely worthy to be a god over shifters. 

Inside felt more sterile than Shun was expecting. The white tile and dark accents for the displays reminded him of Alaric’s parent’s home. As a group, they stood before a marble statue that had been effectively decapitated. The woman was otherwise flawless, like many of the other defiled statues: Shun wondered why anyone would want to ruin them. 

“I wanna touch it.” Al purred, smirking like a deviant.

“Alpha!” Shun squeaked as he spun to glare up at Al with wide eyes. 

“I’m not- I'm not.” he snorted, clearly pouting but pretending to behave as he abruptly turned away and began to walk down the pristine hallway.

____________________

Shun flopped face first on the hotel’s bed. They were due to board a plane within a few hours, and his legs were killing him from the last two days. Alaric hummed happily as he crawled over top of his omega. 

“Promise we’ll be home soon.” Al purred as he pressed a kiss to the nape of Shun’s neck. As much as the omega didn’t want to tense, and despite how tired he actually was, he couldn’t stifle the flinch. He rushed to apologize, but Al hushed him with a kiss on his lips. 

“I’m sorry for scaring you.” the alpha cooed as he rolled to Shun’s side instead of lingering over him. “Can't help myself sometimes, you’re just so… you’re just so beautiful.” It took a moment for the words to sink in, but once they did Shun allowed himself to preen under them. His alpha thought he was beautiful. 

An alpha from what might as well have been royalty found him attractive: he wasn’t just here out of respect for a bond. 

“There’s that little smile.” Al teased through another string of kisses. “I couldn’t help but imagine us back in time at the colosseum.” the alpha’s voice had taken on a whimsical note, one the other has only heard when Al was talking about his work.

“Imagine us seated up there, high on the thrones: Emperors. You would be the kind one. You would probably want to spare everyone, and I would be less forgiving, depending on what was committed.”

“Murderers?” Shun grunted, knowing what his fate would have been.

“Rapists.” Alaric spat. “You defended yourself, Babe, you are not a criminal. The other... There’s no excuse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you for your continued curiosities!
> 
> Rage is for the comments~

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you thank you for your continued curiosities~  
> Rage is for the comments!


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